Friday, December 15, 2023

Shilah's Red Dragon Stir Fry

Inspired by her favorite bowl at Tokyo Joe's!  Stir fry medley picked by Shilah; sauce by Aimee.



16 oz. udon noodles (or 3 packages precooked noodles, 14.2 oz each)

2 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup shelled edamame

1 bunch green onions, cut into half inch pieces

8 oz. water chesnuts

12 oz. baked tofu

2 TB soy sauce


Sauce:

1/4 cup sesame oil

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & cut into pieces

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup water

1-2 tsp red chili pepper flakes

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 TB honey

1/4 cup soy sauce 

2 tsp chili garlic paste

2-3 seeded habanero peppers, halved

1 TB cornstarch + 2 TB water


1. Cook udon noodles according to package directions. 

2. In wok, saute broccoli in a little oil & water until crisp tender. Stir in remaining non-sauce ingredients and heat through.

3. Place sauce ingredients in food processor (except cornstarch) and puree until smooth. Transfer sauce to small saucepan and stir in cornstarch/water mixture. Heat until slightly thickened.

4. Place a serving of noodles & stir fry mixture in a bowl and top with sauce. Enjoy!

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Vegan Cinnamon Bread

Source: https://makeitdairyfree.com/vegan-cinnamon-quick-bread/#recipe 


Ingredients

For the Spice Mix

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  • In a large bowl combine non dairy milk, applesauce and melted coconut oil.
  • Add to the bowl flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar and mix everything together with a spatula.
  • In a small bowl combine coconut sugar and cinnamon creating the spice mixture.
  • Grease a loaf pan.
  • Layer loaf pan by pouring half the batter into loaf pan, then half the spice. Then, remaining batter and the rest of the spice. 
  • Take a knife put it into the batter until touching the bottom of the pan. Zigzag it through the batter from left to right to create a marble like effect with the spice.
  • Bake the loaf for 45-55 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  • Let cool, then cut and serve.  It's even better the next morning. 
  • Warm up as needed.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

Source: https://cookieandkate.com/spicy-vegan-black-bean-soup/


INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
  • 6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 4 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (use ¼ teaspoon if you’re sensitive to spice)
  • 4 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, to taste, or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnishes: diced avocado, extra cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, celery and carrot and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetable are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.
  3. Transfer about 4 cups of the soup to a stand blender, securely fasten the lid, and blend until smooth (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line, and beware the steam that escapes from the top of the blender, it’s very hot). Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.
  4. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cilantro, vinegar/lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Pasta with lemon dill pesto

 Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/lemon-dill-pesto-with-scandinavian-twist-2952900

(slightly modified by Aimee)

  • 5 tablespoons walnuts (or pine nuts)

  • 5 cloves garlic

  • 6 ounces fresh dill, about 2 to 3 cups, roughly chopped

  • 1 large lemon, zested & juiced

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • 16 oz. pasta, cooked according to package directions


  • Place pesto ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Toss with pasta and serve!






Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Buffalo Chickpea Pizza with White Garlic Sauce

 Source: Vegan Richa

https://www.veganricha.com/buffalo-chickpea-pizza-white-garlic-sauce-celery-ranch-vegan-recipe


Ingredients

No Knead Crust:

  • 1 tsp active yeast
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) warm water
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 cup (156.25 g) flour unbleached white or a combination of white and whole wheat
  • 1/3 tsp (0.33 tsp) salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) dried oregano or other herbs
  • 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) garlic powder optional

For the Buffalo Sauce Chickpeas

  • 3 Tbsp hot sauce
  • 1.5 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 15 oz (425.24 g) can chickpeas or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas

White Sauce Base

  • 1/2 cup (118.29 g) ground cashew
  • 3/4 cup (187.5 ml) almond milk
  • 2 tbsp flour or 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 2/3 tsp (0.67 tsp) salt
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • a very generous dash of black pepper

For the garlic sauce

  • 2/3 (0.67) of the white sauce from above
  • 4 cloves of roasted garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) italian herb blend
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Ranch sauce

  • 1/3 (0.33) of the white sauce from above
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) ranch seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella
1/2 cup veggies of choice (optional)

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast and 1 tbsp flour. Let it sit for a few minutes to activate.
  • Add 1 cup flour, salt, herbs and garlic and olive oil and mix in. Add another 3 tbsp flour and mix in. Get your hands in there to mix and knead for a few seconds into a soft slightly sticky dough.. Add another tbsp flour if needed. Gather the dough into a ball and let it sit for 15 minutes in a warm place.
  • Add a 1/2 tsp oil over the dough and spread with your hands. Gather the dough into a ball and place on parchment lined sheet.
  • Use a bit of flour to spread the dough into a 13 to 14 inch size oval. Spread it depending on on how thick or thin you want the crust to be. Keep the edges thicker than the center. Let it sit for a few minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
  • Make the Buffalo chickpeas: Mix everything under buffalo chickpeas. Mash a few chickpeas and let sit and marinate while you prep the sauce.
  • Make the White sauce: Blend all the ingredients under white sauce base until well combined into a smooth sauce.
  • Make the White Garlic sauce: Take about a 2/3 part of the white sauce from above and add garlic sauce ingredients. Mix well. Taste and adjust and mix or blend.
  • Make the Ranch: Add the ranch seasoning to 1/3 of white sauce and vinegar and mix and keep ready.
  • Brush olive oil on crust. Drizzle enough garlic sauce on the dough to coat. Add spinach or greens or other veggies of choice.
  • Layer buffalo chickpeas on the greens. Drizzle some buffalo sauce from the marinade.
  • Drizzle a generous amount of celery ranch. Add vegan mozzarella cheese shreds. 
  • Bake at pre-heated 425 degrees F / 220ºc for 14 minutes. Broil for a minute to crisp.

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Vegan Biscuits & Gravy

 Source (biscuits): https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-buttermilk-biscuits/

Gravy by Aimee


Biscuits (makes 8):

1 cup unsweetened vegan milk (such as oatmilk)

1 TB apple cider vinegar

2.5 cups flour

2 TB baking powder

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 stick (8 TB) vegan butter, frozen


Gravy:

12 TB vegan butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup flour

2 cups unsweetened vegan milk

2.5 tsp black pepper

1.5 tsp smoked paprika

1.5 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp onion powder

2 TB tamari

2 cups crumbled vegan breakfast "sausage"

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly spray with oil).  In a glass measuring cup, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle into vegan buttermilk. 
  • 2. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt to a large mixing bowl.  Using a grater, grate the frozen butter stick into the flour mixture. Stir well to combine.
  • 3. Pour the vegan buttermilk into the bowl with the rest of the biscuit ingredients. Gently stir until almost combined, but do not over mix. It will not be a clean ball of dough at this point, and it will be quite moist and sticky. 
  • 4. Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently work it together with your hands, shaping it into a rectangle. Flour your hands to prevent sticking, and sprinkle a little flour on the dough if it's very sticky. Just do not add too much, or the biscuits will be dry.
  • 5. Gently flatten the dough into a rectangle, then fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough a half turn, and flatten again into a rectangle shape. Repeat the process two more times. This is what makes all those wonderful layers!
  • 6. On the last folding, gently flatten the dough until it's about 1 inch thick. Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter, and do not twist the cutters. Try to get as many biscuits the first time. Re roll any scraps until you have 8 biscuits.
  • 7. Arrange them so they are touching on the pan, this helps them bake up tall. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top and tall.

Meanwhile, while biscuits are baking, make the gravy:

In medium saute pan, melt butter. Stir in flour until dissolved. Stir in vegan milk until there are no lumps.  Stir in remaining ingredients and heat until thickened.  Serve over biscuit halves.

 

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Indian Butter Chick'n

 Source: The Vegan Meat Cookbook

2 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice

20 oz. frozen vegan chick'n strips (Morningstar- 2 bags)

oil to saute

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TB ginger, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup vegetable broth

1 can coconut milk (14 oz)

1 can tomato sauce (14 oz)

1 large russet potato, diced

2 large carrots, cut into rounds

salt & pepper to taste

4 TB vegan butter

1/2 cup chopped cilantro


1. Cook rice and chick'n strips according to package directions. 

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in high-sided skillet or wok; saute onion, garlic, & ginger until fragrant. Stir in spices and cook a little more.  Stir in broth, coconut milk, tomato sauce, potatoes, carrots. Season with salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover & simmer 25 minutes or until potatoes & carrots are tender.

3. Stir in butter until melted. Stir in chick'n strips & cilantro and simmer until all flavors are blended and heated through. Serve over cooked rice.

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings

Source: https://www.vegkitchen.com/sticky-sesame-cauliflower-vegan

For the cauliflower 'wings'


For the sauce


Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, nutritional yeast, garlic power, salt and plant based milk to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together thoroughly, until no lumps remain.

  • Prepare the cauliflower florets. Trim the leaves from the cauliflower and then remove the stem, before chopping it into bite-sized florets.

  • Dip the cauliflower florets in the batter and shake off any excess batter before laying them out on the baking tray. Make sure to leave enough space between the florets. Now bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by whisking together the tomato paste, rice vinegar, tamari, maple syrup and sriracha. In a separate mixing bowl, make the cornstarch slurry by mixing together cornstarch and water.
  • Add the sauce and cornstarch slurry, lowering the heat. Whisk continuously for around 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower wings, stirring together thoroughly.
  • At the last minute, gently fold in the sesame seeds and serve.