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.

Roasted Broccoli, Balsamic Mushrooms & Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh

Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh (from Veganomicon)

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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.

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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.

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.

(Almost) Vegan Tuna Noodle Casserole

This whole odyssey started when I found a package of veggie tuna at Campbell's -- which, sadly, contains whey and egg products, so it's the only part of this recipe that isn't vegan. (I'm sure a good substitute could be made with a steamed chicken-style seitan plus fishy flavoring. I'll experiment more with this in the future.)

Both the boy and I miss tuna noodle casserole from our omnivorous days, so I decided to try veganizing it. I replaced the cream of mushroom soup with vegan alfredo + mushrooms and used Daiya pepper jack shreds for the cheesy top. The result was an unqualified success: creamy, salty, baked noodly deliciousness.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.

1 lb. noodles of choice (I used Kalona tomato noodles)

4 cups water

1/4 tsp salt

Boil the salted water. Drop the noodles in and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and add to casserole dish.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped (I used oyster mushrooms from the farmers' market)

1/4 tsp smoked salt (sea salt will do just fine)

1 package veggie tuna, chopped finely

Heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are starting to get translucent. Add the chopped veggie tuna and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish, mixing with the noodles.

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 Earth Balance margarine

2 tsp stone ground mustard

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp hummus

4 cloves roasted garlic (optional)

1 tsp nori or dulse (seaweed) flakes

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

Pour the alfredo over the noodle mixture and mix well. Top with Daiya shreds. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melty. Consume!

Ingredient Notes: I got the veggie tuna and nori flakes at Campbell's. The noodles and Daiya shreds came from Gateway Market. The mushrooms and mustard came from the downtown farmers' market. I get my miso, nutritional yeast and Earth Balance at New City Market. The smoked salt came from Trader Joe's.

Farmer's Market Quinoa Pilaf

2/3 cup dry quinoa
1-1/3 cup vegetable broth

Combine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.

1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 green onion, diced
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
salt and lime/lemon juice to taste
1 handful chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and tarragon)
1 can white kidney beans, drained
2 Tbsp red pepper-eggplant spread (optional)

Heat the olive oil on medium. Add the mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and let cook for 5 minutes, or until darkened and juicy. Add the onion and asparagus, sprinkle with more salt and lime juice and cook until the asparagus is fork-tender. Add the herbs, red pepper spread and cooked quinoa and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Asparagus-Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf

This was a spur-of the moment creation from this week's farmers' market haul, but the boy and I both agreed that it was damn tasty (and pretty simple, to boot).

3/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup almond pieces (or pine nuts or cashews, optional)

Combine water, broth and quinoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then let simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in nuts, if using, and let stand.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 head roasted garlic (or 3 fresh cloves, minced)
8 oz. oyster mushrooms, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp fresh oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme
salt to taste
lime juice to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until starting to get translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic, sprinkle in a little salt, and stir for another few minutes. Add the asparagus and herbs, spritz with lime juice and stir for 3-5 more minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the mushrooms are cooked through. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Add more salt and lime juice to taste.

Serve sprinkled with a little nutritional yeast, if desired.

Kale-Mushroom-Sundried Tomato-Sausage Quiche

1 can biscuit dough (Hy-Vee's Texas biscuits are vegan)
4 eggs (or 1 batch Vegan Brunch omelette mix)
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup kale, destemmed and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. oyster mushrooms
2 handfuls sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
2 Morningstar Farms sausage patties, chopped
1 handful fresh basil & oregano (or other fresh herbs)
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a pie plate. Press the biscuit dough into the pie plate until the bottom and sides are covered in a thin layer of dough.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic, kale and mushrooms for 5-10 minutes, or until the kale is dark green and tender. Mix in the tomatoes, fresh herbs and sausage chunks and spread evenly over the biscuit dough.

Whisk the eggs together until yolks and whites are incorporated. Season with a dash each of salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the egg mixture is set.

Roasted Asparagus, Spring Garlic and Oyster Mushrooms

Simple and delicious. Made completely with local ingredients from the Des Moines farmer's market.

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, chopped into 3-inch pieces
8 oz. oyster mushrooms, torn into chunks
1 bulb spring garlic, chopped
a drizzle each of olive oil & balsamic vinegar

Combine all ingredients and roast for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Butternut Squash, Kale & Mushroom Pasta Bake w/ Coconut Bechamel

This post by A Hungry Bear Won't Dance was the inspiration for the dish. It sounded delicious, and she even said you could veganize it by leaving out the bechamel and cheese, but I thought a coconut bechamel might be just as delicious and decadent. This recipe takes a little bit to put together, but it's so, so worth it.

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

Arrange the cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the cubes can be easily pierced with a fork.

1 lb. medium shells
a lot of water
1/4 tsp salt

Bring the salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 smallish yellow onion, diced
1 bunch kale, leaves de-stemmed and chopped
2-3 cups sliced crimini or shiitake mushrooms
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can cannellini or navy beans, drained
a splash of white wine (optional)
a dash of salt

Heat the olive oil. Add the onion, kale and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the kale is dark green and wilty. Add the tomatoes, beans, white wine and salt and cook on low until heated through.

1 can light coconut milk
1/2 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Blend the coconut milk, cashews, miso, nutritional yeast and nutmeg for 3 minutes, or until completely smooth.

Combine the squash, sauteed vegetables and drained pasta in a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the coconut bechamel over everything. Top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired (I used a little of Milton Creamery's amazing Prairie Breeze), then cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. (If not using the cheese, you can just combine everything in a large pot and heat through. Gets it on the table faster. :)

A Mostly Vegan Christmas (or Fun With Puff Pastry)

We hosted a holiday party last night, and so I did what came naturally... smeared stuff on store-bought puff pastry and baked it. Nom nom nom.

Asparagus Tart

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 Tbsp stone-ground mustard
1/2 pkg powdered pesto mix (or 1/4 c pesto)
1/4 cup hummus
1/2 bunch asparagus spears
olive oil, salt and pepper

Spread the mustard over the puff pastry, leaving about a half inch on all sides. Top that with pesto, followed by hummus. Trim the asparagus spears and lay them on top of the hummus. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Fold in the edges of the tart, and bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

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Death by Raspberry Chocolate Roll

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup dark chocolate peanut butter spread (or nutella, optional)
1/4 cup raspberry jam
2 handfuls mini chocolate chips
raw sugar for sprinkling

Oil a baking pan well. Sprinkle your working surface with raw sugar. Place the puff pastry on top. Spread the dark chocolate spread on top, followed by the raspberry jam. Sprinkle generously with chocolate chips. Roll up lengthwise, then place in baking dish. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

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Easy Spanakopita

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 pounds baby spinach
1/2 bunch asparagus, diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, minced
1/2 pkg powdered pesto mix (or 1/4 cup pesto)
1 cup cheese curds OR 1/4 cup hummus
1/4 cup diced artichoke hearts (optional)

Steam/microwave the spinach until dark green and wilted. Mix with the diced asparagus, olives, pesto and cheese curds (or hummus and artichoke hearts). Top with puff pastry and bake for 40 minutes at 350.

Vegan Chicken-y Type Dish

This was the result of randomly pulling things out of my pantry. The result was eerily like chicken soup and/or chicken pot pie filling. The boy loved it.

4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz. oyster mushrooms
1/4 tsp salt
a couple of handfuls of dried bean curd stick (yuba), broken into bits + hot water to rehydrate
2 tablespoons capers
3 hearts of palm, diced
4-5 fresh basil and oregano leaves, torn into bits

Boil water and pour over dried bean curd until it rehydrates.

Saute the garlic and mushrooms in the olive oil. Add salt and let mushrooms cook down. Add capers, hearts of palm, bean curd and basil & oregano. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or so.

Spinach-Mushroom-Artichoke Turnovers

2 tsp olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
10 marinated artichoke hearts, diced
1 handful pine nuts
10 oz fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg (2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Saute the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are soft, add the pine nuts, artichoke hearts and spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted.

Slice each puff pastry sheet into four pieces. Roll each piece out until it's roughly 6-7 inches on each side.

Put two-three tablespoons of filling on one half of the pastry. Wet the edges and fold the pastry over to form a triangle. Crimp the edges to seal.

Bake the pies for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Kale-a-kopita

1 tsp olive oil
10 oz kale (1 large bunch)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5-6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp dried dill
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

8 oz. (1/2 block) firm tofu
1 tsp grainy mustard
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp salt
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vegetable broth powder (optional)

1 sheet puff pastry


Set the puff pastry out to thaw. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mash the tofu. Add the mustard, nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice and veggie broth powder and mix well. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and kale and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the dill, shake in some salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Spread the kale-mushroom mixture in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Spread the tofu mixture on top (or mix it in). Top with the puff pastry sheet, smear with olive oil and bake for 40 minutes or until golden and puffed up.

Baked Mushrooms, Potatoes and Tempeh in Gravy

This is based on a recipe in Peter Berley's Fresh Food Fast, but it eliminates the standing over the stove part.

2 cups baby portobella mushrooms, quartered
2 pounds small potatoes, halved
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8 oz. package tempeh, cut into small dice
2 Tbsp arrowroot powder OR flour
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup water

Toss the tempeh with the arrowroot, garlic powder and yeast. Mix the mushrooms, potatoes, onion and garlic in a baking dish. Add the olive oil, soy sauce and water. Add the tempeh mixture and mix well to combine. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Wild Mushroom Strudel

This is supposed to be a fancy dish, and it certainly tastes like it. But when I pulled it out of the oven, God help me if it didn't look exactly like an enormous Hot Pocket. That aside, I think this would make an excellent holiday entree for vegans. It's savory and satisfying in a traditional main dish kind of way, and plus, it's stuffed. Omnivores will drool over the tantalizing aromas that waft up from your plate.

4 oz. shiitake mushrooms
1 fist-sized oyster mushroom
1 8 oz. package sliced crimini or button mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-sized leek, just the white and light green parts, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
salt/pepper to taste
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp all purpose/spelt flour
1 tsp veggie bouillon powder
1/4 tsp dried sage
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 can braised wheat gluten drained, rinsed and sliced into thin ribbons (optional)
1 package puff pastry
olive oil spray

Set out the puff pastry to thaw. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the leeks, mince the garlic, and chop the mushrooms and gluten into little bits. Combine the flour, nutritional yeast and bouillon powder.

Heat the olive oil in a largish skillet. Add the leeks, garlic, mushrooms and sage and saute for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms have reduced and are releasing fragrant juices. Add the nutritional yeast mixture and gluten and cook for another minute or so. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Mix in the thyme and remove from heat.

Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface until you have two large rectangles. Spray two baking dishes with olive oil and drape a rectangle pastry over the bottom of each one. Spoon half the mushroom mixture in a line down the center of the pastry. Fold over the top and bottom ends of the pastry, then the right and left ends, until you have a little mushroom packet/burrito. Spray the top with olive oil and slide into the oven.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the packets are puffed up and golden. Slice and consume!

Ingredient Notes: The Gateway Market has loose shiitake and oyster mushrooms available at much lower prices than the packaged kind. We get our canned gluten/abalone at Double Dragon Market for 89 cents a can. You could use another kind of seitan, if you prefer. The canned sort is nice and juicy.

Grilled Plantains w/ Black Bean-Corn Relish & Gingered Mangoes & Strawberries

Grilled Plantains
1 semi-ripe plantain, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 tsp sucanat or sugar or maple syrup
1/4 tsp lime juice
dash salt

Rub the slices with lime juice and sprinkle with sucanat and salt. Generously oil the grill pan and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Black Bean-Corn Relish
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
kernels from 2 ears of corn
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
a few shakes chipotle hot sauce

Combine the corn kernels and a little water in a small saucepan. Cook the corn for 3 minutes, or until no longer raw. Drain the corn and add to the black beans. Add lime juice, cumin, garlic powder and hot sauce and mix well.

Gingered Mangoes & Strawberries
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
5-6 strawberries, quartered
2 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped or 1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger

Combine the mangoes, strawberries and ginger in a bowl and mix well. Let set for a few minutes, then serve!

Sundried Tomato Pesto

1/2 cup dry sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
1 cup water
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tbsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Put the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl. Boil the water in a kettle and pour it over the tomatoes, then cover and let sit for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. Drain and set aside. Put the pine nuts in a dry saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring, or until just golden.

Crush the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt & pepper in a mortar and pestle until they form a thick paste. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, add the olive oil and tomatoes, and pulverize with the pestle. Finish the mixture off with a hand blender until smooth.

Toss with pasta or gnocchi and consume!

Panko-Crusted Portabello Tenders

I couldn't find any vegan recipes for panko-breaded portabellos, so I went out on a limb and invented my own. Oh, how I love it when a recipe bunny works out! These were delicious, decadent, and surprisingly quick to make. They're perfect for when you're having fast food cravings. Serve with a spinach salad and any dipping sauce you desire (I had mine with sundried tomato pesto thinned with a little water & lemon juice).


4 portabello mushroom caps
1/3 cup water
2 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos

3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper

1/2 cup plain soy milk
1/4 cup flour
canola oil for frying
1 brown paper grocery bag, torn into dinner-plate-sized sections

Slice the mushroom caps into 1/2-inch thick slices. Toss the slices with the water and Braggs in a large covered pan and steam for 5 minutes, or until they start to darken. Drain well, rinse with cold water and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, mix the panko, yeast, onion & garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper together and spread in the bottom of a pie plate. Pour 1/2 inch of canola oil into your frying pan and turn it on medium high. Set up an assembly line leading up to your frying pan that goes thusly: 1. Mushroom slices; 2. Dinner plate with flour; 3. Shallow dish of soy milk; 4. Pie plate with panko; 5. Frying pan.

Once the oil is hot, dip each mushroom slice into the flour, then into the soy milk, then roll it in breadcrumbs and lay in the frying pan. Fry for 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Lift out of the oil and let cool on a piece of brown paper bag (the paper will absorb any excess oil).

Ingredient Notes: You can get portabello mushroom caps cheaply at Dahl's or in bulk at CostCo. Braggs Liquid Aminos, nutritional yeast and plain soy milk can be found at New City Market or Campbell's; if you can't find them, you can substitute soy sauce, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and any kind of milk you desire (cow, rice, almond) or water. Panko breadcrumbs are in the Asian section of most well-stocked supermarkets; I found mine at Double Dragon Market.

Portobello Mushroom Steaks w/ Quinoa Pilaf & Fruity Spinach Salad

Portobello Mushroom Steaks

3 portobello mushroom caps
1 heaping tsp miso
1/2 tsp chipotle-pepper-in-adobo puree
1 drizzle dark sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp nutritional yeast flakes
3-4 drops liquid smoke
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Clean the mushroom caps and lay them in a baking dish. Mix all other ingredients except for the sesame seeds in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Smear the miso mixture on top of the mushroom caps. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, covered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until caps are cooked through.

Quinoa Pilaf

1/2 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 veg bouillon cube
1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 handful shitake mushrooms, crumbled

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer vigorously for 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Fruity Spinach Salad

1/2 bag spinach leaves
4-5 strawberries, cut into small pieces
1/2 can mandarin oranges
1 handful roasted soy nuts
1 handful pecans, crushed
2 Tbsp mandarin orange juice, from the can
1 large squirt honey mustard

Combine spinach, berries, nuts and oranges in a bowl. Mix together orange juice and honey mustard to form dressing. Serve!

Creole Okra, Tomatoes & Corn

A co-worker of mine brought this to our Mardi Gras potluck, and it was surprisingly delicious. Okra is a vegetable I've always been skeptical of (something about the combination of hairy and slimy that turns me off), but this is genuinely delicious. We served this with Red Beans and Rice Deluxe for a killer combination.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced mild green chiles, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, juice reserved
1-1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 dash each salt and pepper
1 16-oz. package frozen okra pieces
1 cup frozen corn

Drain the tomatoes and the chiles over a large bowl to catch the juices. Saute the onion powder and garlic in the olive oil until they start to brown, then add the chiles, tomatoes and Cajun seasoning. Cook for 3-5 minutes, then add okra, corn and reserved tomato juice. Cover and cook until heated through and the okra is no longer crunchy.