This is a simple, quick hummus recipe that can be made using either a food processor or a decent blender. I used the sun-dried tomatoes in oil, but the dried ones can be used as long as they are soaked in water first (for at least 20 minutes). I love this hummus on crudités, crackers or pitas.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, juice retained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
3 tablespoons tahini paste
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Add beans, garlic, tahini paste, basil, olive oil, lemon juice and salt to processor and blend until smooth. Add the retained juice until the desired consistency is reached.
2. Add sun-dried tomatoes and process until blended.
Serve as is, or garnish with sesame seeds or paprika.
I have made a few tofu scrambles since becoming a vegan, but this is the best recipe I’ve tried thus far. I pressed the tofu when I made this, something I didn’t do when I first started cooking with tofu, and I found it made a big difference in how well the marinade was absorbed. This recipe is adapted from One Green Planet and makes about four servings.
Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) block of firm tofu
1/2 white onion, diced
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
4-5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
Dash of cayenne
Dash of paprika
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Press the tofu and break into pieces.
2. Add sesame oil, soy sauce and seasonings to a mixing bowl and stir or whisk together. Toss in the tofu and mix thoroughly.
3. Heat a pan on medium heat and add some olive oil, then sauté the onions until translucent. Add the broccoli, spinach and the sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is softened. Transfer veggie mixture to another bowl.
4. Using your same pan, add a little more olive oil and the tofu. Cook the tofu for 10-15 minutes until it’s a bit browned and a firmer consistency.
5. Add the veggies to the tofu and stir them through, heating for a couple more minutes.
As much as I enjoy mashed potatoes, they can be very filling. Mashed cauliflower is a great alternative that is actually very easy to make. I love garlic so I added a few cloves to this, but you can put whatever spices you like. I also like to top it with a little Earth Balance as I would with mashed potatoes, though it doesn’t really need it. This recipe is great served immediately, but can also be baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so until nice and browned.
Ingredients
1 medium head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Wash and cut cauliflower into florets and boil until very soft, about 10-15 minutes. Drain.
2. Add cauliflower and other ingredients to food processor and blend until a nice smooth consistency.
Can be served as is, or garnished with scallions, parsley or chives.
Spinach and artichoke dip is by far one of my favorite appetizers. It’s so delicious and great for so many occasions. It’s also one of the few appetizers that I feel works well whether served cold or hot, and goes equally well with both chips or veggies. This recipe is adapted from Yeah That Vegan Shit and serves about five.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can of Great Northern beans or Navy beans
1 (15 ounce) can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
1 small white onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 (8 ounce) container of vegan cream cheese (optional)
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a pan on medium heat, add olive oil and the onion and cook for a few minutes (don’t let them brown). Add the garlic and sauté briefly, then the spinach and cook for several minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Drain the beans and add into a food processor, blending until desired consistency is reached.
3. Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl and add the cream cheese, mixing thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix, then transfer the dip into a baking pan.
4. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 or 15 minutes, until slightly browned on the edges.
Kale chips: delicious, addictive and surprisingly good for you. They’re a great alternative to potato chips – and a lot less greasy! When you tear your kale into strips, bear in mind that they shrink considerably when baked, so you can make the pieces a bit larger. Kale chips are a nice healthy snack that you can indulge in guilt-free.
Ingredients
1 bunch of kale
Olive oil spray
Sea salt
Nutritional yeast
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash kale and remove excess water, drying it as much as possible.
3. De-stem kale and tear into roughly bite-sized pieces; spread on baking sheet.
4. Spray kale with oil spray, then sprinkle with sea salt and nutritional yeast.
5. Bake until kale chips are crispy, about 10 minutes.
This recipe was my first attempt at making any kind of lasagna, as well as the first time I cooked with eggplant or polenta. I wanted to make a soy-free version, so this contains no tofu. A nice thing about this recipe is that it is lighter and much less filling than the more traditional kind made with pasta noodles.
Ingredients
1 cup of polenta
1 cup of kale
1 small eggplant
2 cups of organic tomato sauce
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (optional)
About 1 teaspoon of olive oil (or olive oil spray)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon Earth balance
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
Directions
1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add polenta. Reduce to a simmer for about five minutes, stirring often, until polenta has absorbed the water. Add garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and oregano. When polenta is done, grease a shallow bowl with Earth Balance; add polenta to the bowl, using a spoon to flatten the top. Once cooled, the polenta can be cut into slices.
2. Bring another pot of water to boil. De-stem kale and chop it into pieces. Chop the eggplant into round disks. Place eggplant pieces onto a baking sheet and baste or drizzle with olive oil (or olive oil spray) and Italian seasonings.
3. Broil eggplant for about 5 minutes. Boil the kale for about 3 minutes, until the leaves turn bright green. Strain kale thoroughly to remove excess water (it should be as dry as possible).
4. Thinly line a baking pan (I used an 8×8 glass pan) with tomato sauce. Place polenta slices first, then a layer of kale, then more sauce, then a layer of eggplant, more sauce, a layer of polenta and then more sauce. Top with breadcrumbs.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until breadcrumbs are toasted.
Tofu is super versatile; it’s delicious baked, fried, or even plain. It can be made to taste like basically anything, depending on the seasonings used. It’s often recommended to press tofu to allow the flavor to permeate more thoroughly, but it’s not truly necessary for this recipe adapted from Chow Vegan. Baked tofu is great several ways; right out of the oven with some dipping sauces on the side, in wraps with fresh veggies, or as a cold topping for salads. This makes about four servings.
Ingredients
1 block of extra firm tofu
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of sea salt
Olive oil as needed
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the breadcrumbs and seasonings in a bowl. Add some olive oil to a separate bowl (not too much, you can always add more as you go).
2. Drain the tofu and cut it into slices sized to your liking. Dip each slice in the olive oil and then coat liberally with breadcrumbs.
3. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and grease lightly with olive oil. Place the tofu slices on the pan and bake for about 15 minutes on each side, or until breadcrumbs are slightly browned.
