To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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Click the image below to watch the video.
Vegan Penne with Cauliflower Ragu
INGREDIENTS
1 medium cauliflower (about 2 lbs.)
3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-in. dice
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Salt to taste
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
3 tbs. unsalted butter
1 lb. penne
3/4 cup freshly vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast or a combination, plus extra for serving
Parsley as garnish
DIRECTIONS
Halve cauliflower. Remove leaves and cut out core and reserve. Cut cauliflower into small bite-size florets, reserving stalks. Chop core, leaves, and stalks.
Combine oil, onion, garlic, and cauliflower core, leaves, and stalks in large pot, season with sea salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until leaves are just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are just tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
Add cauliflower florets, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup water and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is almost falling apart, 22 to 25 minutes. Add butter, stirring gently until it melts; season well with sea salt. Remove from heat.
Bring 6 quarts water to boil in large pot and add 3 tbs. kosher salt. Drop in pasta and cook until just al dente.
Drain pasta, reserving about 1/3 cup pasta water. Add pasta and 1/3 cup reserved water to ragu. Toss over medium heat until pasta is well coated (add more pasta water to thin sauce). Stir in cheese.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie with Mashed Cauliflower
Feeds 6
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces soyrizo (or other faux meat)
14 ounces Beyond Sausage (or other faux meat)
4 cups mixed veggies (I used a combination of frozen corn, peas, lima beans)
1 med-large head cauliflower – cut into florets
2 medium red potatoes (optional)
8 oz mushrooms – sliced
1 leek – white part sliced
1/4 onion – diced
vegan butter (2-4 TBS)
vegan milk (1/4 cup or more)
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Boil the cauliflower & potatoes (if using) until soft. Drain & set aside.
Heat a TBS or so of vegan butter (or other oil) and saute mushrooms & onion until both are browned & soft. Set aside.
Melt a TBS or so of vegan butter (or other oil) and saute the leek until soft. Set aside.
Saute the faux meats together until heated all the way through (primarily to cook the Beyond Sausage & drain some grease). If you are using other meats than Beyond sausage – there is no reason to precook them.
Mix the faux meat with the mushrooms & onion.
Mash the cauliflower & potato mix with the leeks & about 1/4 cup of vegan milk & 2 TBS or more of vegan butter. Season with S&P.
Assemble the shepherd’s pie by putting the faux meat mix on the bottom of a casserole pan (I divided mine between two smaller pans (see above). Top with whatever veggies you are using & then top with the mashed cauliflower.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve! I plated mine as double-decker stacks so it looked prettier & more substantial.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
Vegan Keto Curry Soup with Cauliflower Rice & Kale
Feeds 6 very well
INGREDIENTS
1-2 TBS olive oil
I onion – diced
1 head of kale – ribs removed & chopped
1 head of cauliflower
8 carrots – chopped
5-6 ounces coconut milk
8-10 cups vegan stock
4 garlic cloves – chopped
2 TBS curry powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp crushed red pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the cauliflower into florets & spray with cooking spray (or toss in a little oil). Roast at 400 for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, rice the cauliflower by pulsing a few times in a food processor or using the grater blade. Or – grate the cauliflower manually. Set aside.
Heat 1-2 TBS olive oil & saute the onions until soft. Add the garlic & spices & stir for a minute. Add all the other ingredients & bring to a boil. Simmer until the carrots are tender. Season with S&P. Add more water or stock if it gets too thick.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or just print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
To watch the video – click the image above.
There are about an infinity of ingredients in this stew – most of which can be eliminated without a negative impact on this dish. I happened to have all but mushrooms, an onion & carrots on hand. If you are missing an ingredient or two (or three) – I think you will still like the results.
I used those vegetarian bouillon cubes above but I am going to stop buying them. They contain palm oil & an obscene sodium content so – I will be moving on to Better Than Bouillon, when my supply of these runs out.
I served my stew over mashed cauliflower. When I was done eating – I mixed the leftover mashed cauliflower directly into the stew. This had the effect of making it seem thicker & denser – but it is just cauliflower – so it actually lightens the dish up.
**NOTE – I made this in a slow cooker (on high) while I hiked. It was pretty much done when I returned 2 1/2 hours later. You could make this just as easily stove top – maybe in less time. Just bring to a boil & simmer until the veggies are cooked. To thicken it – return it to a boil. Whisk 1/4 cup cornstarch into some hot water & add to the boiling stew. It should thicken nicely. If not – do it again. Add water if it gets too thick.
Hearty Vegan Beef & Vegetable Stew for the Slow Cooker
Serves 6 or more
INGREDIENTS (VERY flexible – both in what you use & quantity)
1 TBS Kitchen Bouquet (seasoning available in the spice aisle or near gravy ingredients)
Few squirts Maggi (seasoning available in the spice aisle or near gravy ingredients)
1 tsp smoked (or regular) paprika
2 bay leaves
6 whole coves
1 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 cup corn starch (or more)
S&P
DIRECTIONS
I really prefer slow cooker recipes that require ZERO prep. Recipes where you just dump the shit into the cooker & go away. But – I really wanted a stew-like flavor here so – I thought cooking the onions & bringing their flavor – & the flavor of the sauteed mushrooms were important. Also – browning the steak cubes assists in the visual presentation. You could certainly just dump it all in & would probably be just as happy with the result. Your call.
So – heat 2 TBS or so of oil & saute the onions & the beef cubes. When the onions start to brown. Add the garlic & saute one minute. Add the wine (or stock) and quickly deglaze the pan. Put this into the slow cooker.
In the same pan, add another TBS or so of oil & saute the mushrooms until they begin to sear. Deglaze the pan with a tiny bit of water & add the mushrooms to the slow cooker.
If you are going stove top – do the steps above & then put those things & the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT THE CORNSTARCH) into a huge stock pot, bring to a boil & simmer until the vegetables are tender – not more than 1/2 hour. To thicken it – return it to a boil. Whisk 1/4 cup cornstarch into some hot water & add to the boiling stew. It should thicken nicely. If not – do it again. Add water if it gets too thick. Season with S&P.
If you are slow cooking it – dump the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT THE CORNSTARCH) into the slow cooker & leave it covered & on high for 3 hours or so. To thicken it – remove the lid. Whisk 1/4 cup cornstarch into some hot water & add to the boiling stew. It should thicken nicely. If not – do it again. Leave the top off until it thickens. Add water if it gets too thick. Season with S&P.
If you have am Instant Pot or pressure cooker – Cook for 15 minutes.
Serve over rice or mashed potatoes or – as I did – over mashed cauliflower. When I was done eating – I mixed the leftover mashed cauliflower directly into the stew. This had the effect of making it seem thicker & denser – but it is just cauliflower – so it actually lightens the dish up.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
Click the image above to watch the video.
Arugula Pesto
INGREDIENTS
Handful of fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup nutritional yeast (or vegan Parmesan)
1/3 cup vegan Parmesan
1/2 cup pecans (or other nuts)
5 oz fresh arugula
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Blend in a food processor until smooth. Add water or more oil if it is too thick. Season with S&P. Set aside.
Cauliflower Gnocchi
INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower – cut into florets
Flour
GARNISH: basil, parsley, or lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees & roast the cauliflower for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool.
Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it is finely chopped.
Put some flour on a kneading space. Knead just enough flour into the cauliflower until you have a nice, dough that is no longer tacky. Use as little flour as possible or your gnocchi will be too dense.
Quarter the dough & roll each quarter out to a long snake that is about 3/4 inch thick. Cut your gnocchi in about 3/4 inch pillows. You can rill them on a fork or gnocchi board (below) – to aid in making sauces cling but that is unnecessary.
If the gnocchi are still tacky, dust with more flour. Set aside until you are ready to eat.
When ready, heat the pesto. Bring salted water to a rolling boil. Put the gnocchi in the water & boil until they float to the top – a few minutes. Drain & toss with the pesto. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley or lemon wedges.
To freeze some, put them on a floured cooking sheet or on a cooking sheet with parchment paper & freeze flat. Once frozen, you can transfer them into any other container – even a Ziploc bag. Always put frozen gnocchi into water at a rolling boil without letting them defrost first – or they will become a gooey mess.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
The photo just above is from the wonderful blog – The Iron You. It is their Eggplant Parm Rice Casserole and it is that recipe that inspired mine here. There are a few subtle changes but the primary difference is that I used cauliflower rice rather than real rice and I made it vegan. That way – this dish is very light & nearly guiltless. Is is very easy to make & comes together in less than 45-60 minutes – 30 of which are in the oven. It is a surprisingly tasty recipe & chock full of fresh vegetables.
Eggplant Parmesan Casserole with Cauliflower Rice (Vegetarian or Vegan)
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
1 large head of cauliflower
2 eggplants – cut into 1/4 inch slices
Olive oil
1 cup basil – chopped
2 large shallots (or 1/2 small onion) – diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes – quartered (reserve a few extra to garnish)
2-3 cups vegan mozzarella – according to your preference (I used 3 cups)
1-2 cups grated vegan Parmesan – according to your preference
S&P
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS crushed red pepper (optional)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
3 (or more) vegan sausages – cooked
Parsley or basil – chopped as garnish
DIRECTIONS
If you have a grill or grill pan, spray some olive oil on the eggplant (or toss them in a light coating of olive oil or dressing) & grill on each side until a bit charred & soft. Set aside.
If you do not have a grill or grill pan – follow Iron You’s oven method directions: Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and grease them with vegetable oil. Set aside.
Fill a large bowl with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until it dissolves completely.
Add eggplant slices and let them sit for at least 20 minutes to draw out the bitterness. Fish the eggplant slices out of the water, pat them dry, and arrange them on a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the slices turn deep brown on top.
Remove the slices from the baking sheets and carefully transfer them on a plate to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Cook sausages & chop.
Cut the florets from the cauliflower & either grate them on a box grater or using the grater of your food processor (the FAR neater way to go). Set aside.
Toss the tomatoes with basil, a pinch or S&P & the oregano & crushed red pepper & set aside.
Heat a TBS or so of olive oil in a large frying pan (large enough to hold all the cauliflower rice) & saute the shallots or onion until soft. Add the cauliflower rice & the stock. Over high heat – saute until the cauliflower is soft & the bulk of the stock has evaporated. Stir in the tomato & basil mix and the sauce.
Grease a casserole pan (I used cooking spray) and layer 1/3 of the rice on the bottom. Top with half the eggplant and 1/3 of the cheese and 1/2 the sausage. Add another 1/3 of the rice, remaining eggplant and 1/3 of the cheese & the remaining sausage. Top with a final layer of rice & cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted & the casserole is heated through.
Let sit for 10 minutes & then serve with parsley or basil & maybe extra diced tomato.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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Hey! Have you heard? I wrote a really funny & dirty novel! www.BathingBook.com. Check out the reviews on Amazon! Why not buy a copy?
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This baby is pretty easy. I love buffalo sauce but I do not eat chicken so I am always scouting for other ways to eat it – whether on pizza or with shrimp or to dip French fries in – anything. This recipe uses cauliflower & is virtually calorie-free. I used regular flour but gluten free flour or a chick pea (besan) flour – even panko or breadcrumbs could also work. Most recipes I’ve seen add an even amount of butter to the buffalo sauce but I see no reason to add that many calories.
Pour milk in a bowl & whisk in the flour with the spices. Melt the butter & whisk it into the buffalo sauce.
Cut the cauliflower into florets. Dip each into the flour mix. Spray a cooking sheet with cooking oil. Place the cauliflower on the sheet – spoon about 1/2 of the buffalo sauce over the florets & toss – & bake at 425 for about 15 minutes. Take them out & coat them with remaining buffalo sauce & bake another 15 minutes. Put them on a plate & drizzle more buffalo sauce on them.
Serve with celery & blue cheese (or Ranch) dressing.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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I took those two outdoor images this weekend on my Hollywood sign hikes. Living in LA does NOT suck. Don’t believe the hype.
You know what else doesn’t suck? Pretty much any variety of mac & cheese. But being a big fat ass does suck – so I added a huge head of cauliflower & two small heads of broccoli to this so it is about 50% veggies & 50% pasta. Easy & delicious. I skipped the whole roux business so this is a very quick dish to put together.
I used turmeric because it adds that vibrant yellow color but I also added it because it is really good for you. Google “turmeric benefits” or look HERE & see some of the amazing good it can do for you.
Click the image below to watch the video.
Easy Cauliflower and Broccoli and Turmeric Mac and Cheese
Feeds 6
INGREDIENTS
12 oz dry pasta
1/2 large head cauliflower – cut into bite-size florets
2 medium heads broccoli – cut into bit-sized florets
12 oz unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 cup vegan sour cream or cream cheese or a mix
1 or more cups vegan cheese of your choice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1 TBS turmeric
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp salt
1 TBS ground pepper
A few squirts of hot sauce – I used Crystal (optional)
1-2 cups panko or other bread crumbs
`
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 350 & grease a large casserole pan.
Cook pasta according to directions. Cook as long as the package says – but add the cauliflower & broccoli in the final three minutes. Drain.
Heat the milk & stir in all the other ingredients. Add the pasta & veggies & combine. Put in your greased casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs. A spritz of cooking spray will aid the breadcrumbs browning.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly & the breadcrumbs are beginning to brown.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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Click the image above to watch the video.
This dish makes an incredible centerpiece for your vegan holiday table but is good as a side, too. I ate the entire thing alone in two days. So yummy! I overcooked my cauliflower in the boiling water just a bit so it did not hold its shape perfectly. So – be sure to only cook your cauliflower the 8 minutes & then drain it under cold running water.
Even if this guy falls apart when you cut into it, the flavor is not impacted. It is really delicious.
Gobi Musallam or Whole Roasted Cauliflower in Curry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 Head cauliflower (leaves and tough stem removed)
Water to blanch
2teaspoonssalt
1teaspoonturmeric
1teaspoonchili powderoptional
curry sauce
1 TBS olive oil
1/2medium red onion – chopped
1 TBS minced ginger
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS crushed red pepper chili flakes (or to taste)
Garnish – cilantro, pomegranate seeds, cooked rice or naan
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Use enough water so all of the cauliflower can be immersed in it. Add salt, turmeric and chili and cook the whole cauliflower by immersing it in the water – bottom side down. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Drain & rinse under cold running water to stop its cooking.
In a pan, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until golden, 6-7 minutes. Add ginger, garlic chili and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the spices and mix. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar, fenugreek (if using), mix and cook covered until tender. Add coconut milk & yogurt. Heat a bit. Puree in a blender. Taste and adjust salt, spice.
Oil a baking dish – either a cast iron pan or casserole dish that can accommodate the head of cauliflower. Place the blanched cauliflower in a baking dish. Reserve about 1/3 of the sauce & set it aside. Slowly pour the remaining sauce the puree on top to cover the entire head of the cauliflower. Some sauce will fall pool around the bottom of the cauliflower.
Bake for 40-45 minutes till the cauliflower is dry to touch and sauce thickens a bit. Turn the dish around after 30 minutes.
Heat the remaining sauce to just about a boil so it thickens and serve on the side.
Garnish with warmed reserved sauce & fresh cilantro and maybe even some pomegranate seeds – if you are feeling festive. Serve as a side or with rice or naan.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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Ok – so I posted my Vegan Whole Turkey (seen above) – and the vegans on Facebook lost their collective shit. Despite knowing it was a vegan item – I got blocked & banned & verbally assaulted SAVAGELY. This video below is my response to the “You are not the right kind of vegan” attacks I got from the most self-righteous douchebags ever. I also show you how I reinvented a bunch of random leftovers into and epic Shepherd’s Pie.
Below the video here are the 14 recipes I suggest as potential uses for your holiday leftovers.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
To watch the video – click the image above.
Living alone can make eating all the food I buy difficult. I buy produce with a thousand inspirations in my head – often forgetting that I have to eat everything I make myself. That can get difficult – especially with produce like avocados & leafy greens that have a short shelf life. Yesterday – I made a Spicy Vegan Szechuan Beef & Vegetable Stir-Fry (seen above) that used a lot of the veggies I had around – but – it did not use everything. I also had a lot of leftover basmati rice. So – I dreamed up this salad. I used a little (1 cup) of the rice I had. You could use more – or less – depending on how light you want this to be. You could also use quinoa or brown rice or some ancient grain of your choice. Or – as I do in the video – use grated cauliflower in place of rice. Whatever you decide – this salad is full of nutrients & tastes clean & light & fresh. If you do not add the avocado – this salad will keep in the fridge for a few days. Just add the avocado just before serving.
Vegan “Eat Your Greens” Warm Broccoli Rice Salad with Rainbow Chard, Basil, Mint, Avocado & Citrus Vinaigrette
Serves 2-4 depending on appetite
INGREDIENTS
2 TBS olive oil (or coconut oil)
1 cup cooked rice or other grain (optional) or 1 medium head of cauliflower – grated
1 head broccoli – grated or pulsed in a food processor
1 cucumber – chopped
1 zucchini – chopped
Avocado – amount at your discretion – sliced
2-3 scallions – sliced
1 bunch (6-8 leaves) rainbow chard (or other greens of your choice) – ribs removed & chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil – chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint – chopped
Pepitas (or other nuts) – amount at your discretion
GARNISH: basil, mint, lime wedges
for the dressing
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS cider vinegar
2 TBS fresh lime (or lemon) juice (or a combination)
1 tsp lemon or lime zest
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1 or 2 TBS agave (I used 2 but might go less next time)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
S&P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Whisk the dressing together & adjust flavors to suit your tastes.
Pulse the broccoli in a food processor or grate it (grating is very messy). Do the same with the cauliflower – if you are using it n place of rice.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the broccoli & cauliflower/rice & toss. Add the zucchini & chard. Add a few TBS water & cover the pan & remove from heat. You just want to warm everything through & get the chard & broccoli & zucchini wilt a bit.
In 5 minutes or so – put the rice mixture in a large bowl (or in the pan) & toss in the scallions, mint & basil & cucumber & some (not all) the dressing.
Put some of the warm salad on plates & garnish with avocado slices, pepitas, extra basil and/or mint, lime wedges, additional dressing & freshly cracked pepper.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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I am reposting an updated version of my original post for these dished from July 30, 2013. Originally, this was posted as vegetarian recipes. I updated them to be vegan & there is a video on my channel to accompany it. Click the image below to watch & see how easy this stuff is to make.
From July 30, 2013:
In my hunt for other recipes meant to provide a cauliflower version of fried chicken, I ran into THIS post about Popeye’s Fried Chicken. Here is a picture from that site:
I have never eaten at Popeye’s or any other fried chicken joint (except KFC & Dinah’s here in Glendale) and I haven’t tasted ANY fried chicken in over 25 years – but my boyfriend Miles eats it all the time. In fact, he eats it weekly now that the famous Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken opened a few blocks away from him in downtown Little Rock. Miles is always sending me (at my request) pictures of the food he eats & I find myself looking at fried chicken so much – I have developed an undeniable craving for it. And – that blogger that spoke of an incredible meal at Popeye’s didn’t help. And that Delta sauce? I liked the sound of it & a few clicks here & there revealed that Popeye’s discontinued it. In fact, there seems to be quite a bit of hand-wringing going on about the now-unavailable Delta Sauce and that piqued my curiosity. Fortunately, the blogger who loved the Delta sauce posted a copycat recipe for it & I could not resist. So – I made it & I include that recipe here. It is like a spicy Thousand Island dressing & it is INCREDIBLE on my – wait for it – Southern Fried Cauliflower!
Doesn’t that look just like a fried chicken plate? I was so Goddamn happy with myself yesterday – you have no idea. If you make any of my zillions of cauliflower recipes – I have to say – it should be THIS one! So easy & so delicious! And if, like me, you don’t eat meat but the reasons for that do not include any distaste for meat products – this might really satisfy any existing fried chicken craving you might be in denial about.
It also includes some smashed baked potatoes & a vegan white gravy.
This is quite a decadent meal & the perfect fix on those days when the hole in your heart is bigger than your ass & you just don’t give a fuck. You wanna eat & you wanna eat something bad. This is as Paula Deen as I am likely to get but even with this dish – the fried chicken is really cauliflower & there is no bacon (or other meat) fat in any of it (excepting egg & milk) & the potatoes were made with a minimum of butter & WATER – because I’d run out of milk. So – seriously – AT LEAST try the southern fried cauliflower & Delta dipping sauce. I am certain you will enjoy!
Spicy Southern Fried Cauliflower and Delta Dipping Sauce with Smashed Baked Potatoes and White Gravy and Buffalo Mac & Cheese (All Vegan)
(This feeds about two (very well) so increase the recipes if you are feeding more. The mac & cheese recipe feeds at least 4.)
INGREDIENTS
For the Southern Fried Cauliflower
(depending on the size of your cauliflower – you may need more or less of the other ingredients – so maybe have extra on hand)
1 head cauliflower
2 eggs worth of egg replacer (optional)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp each of S&P
1 tsp chipotle chili powder (or smoked or regular paprika)
1 tsp garlic powder
Lots of vegetable oil for frying
1 gallon zip lock baggy (not necessary but it makes life easier)
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub olive oil on the potatoes & sprinkle with salt. Bake them – DIRECTLY on the oven rack – for about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven & allow to cool a bit. Peel the potatoes (I left bits of skin & browned spots for some color) & mash them up with the butter & some salt & pepper and as much milk or water (I used water as I was out of milk) as you need to get to a texture you like. I used an old school hand masher & left them chunky & on the drier side. I smashed them a bit more at the end with an immersion blender. You do it however you like.
For the white gravy
Heat the butter in a sauce pan & add the bouillon cube & the shallots. Cook a minute or two until the shallots soften & the bouillon cube is dissolved. Add the flour, sage & salt and pepper & stir constantly for about 2 minutes. It should be quite dry. Add the milk 1/2 cup at a time & allow it to thicken. Continue until all the milk is incorporated and heat until the gravy is at your desired thickness. Add milk if it is too thick.
For the Southern Fried Cauliflower
In a bowl – whisk together the egg replacer, water & hot sauce. I think you can omit the egg replacer with no real effect on the recipe.
In a zip lock bag or in a deep bowl – blend the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients.
Cut the cauliflower into the largest “drummettes” possible so they resemble chicken thighs & a few wings. I sprayed my cauliflower with water so the flour mix would stick.
Put the cauliflower in the flour mix & toss to coat. Dunk into the egg mix until covered & then back into the flour. Coat again with the flour.
I do not have a thermometer to measure oil temp but I think 350 is the correct temperature for frying. I just let it get hot, put one drummette in there & once that started bubbling pretty rapidly – I added a few more pieces
Turn a few times & fry until they are a golden brown all over. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the cauliflower is cooked. Now – just divvy up the goodness & fill up that whole in your heart with some old school home cooking!
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or just print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
Reposting this now here because there is a video to accompany it. Please consider following me on my channel there.
I have posted several variations of cauliflower rice over the years – most of which can be found HERE. This one is likely the richest of the lot due to the added lite coconut milk. Still – if you consider that it isn’t really rice but, rather just grated cauliflower, that added decadence of the coconut milk & curry paste are not that bad.
Cauliflower rice is easiest if you have a food processor with a grating blade. If not – you can grate the cauliflower with a box grater or other grater – but raw cauliflower tends to pop all over the place & can get rather messy.
I’m not sure if some of my earlier cauliflower rice recipes had the added step of steaming the cauliflower & squeezing out the water – but – that is a step not necessary for cauliflower rice. I think that step only matters if you are going to make cauliflower pizza dough or cauliflower tortillas – as seen below.
This dish is quick & easy & very tasty. And good for you!
Vegan Spicy Thai Red Curry & Coconut Cauliflower Rice
Serves 4 or more as a side
INGREDIENTS
1 large head cauliflower – grated in with a food processor or a manual grater
Coconut or other cooking oil
1 red bell pepper – diced
1 onion diced
1-3 jalapenos – minced (use more or less according to your taste for heat)
1-6 cloves of garlic – chopped (use more or less according to your taste for garlic)
In a very large saute pan, heat about 1 TBS oil & add the cauliflower. Saute on high for 5-7 minutes or until it just begins to brown. Transfer to a bowl & set aside.
In the same pan, add about another TBS of oil & saute the red bell pepper, onion & jalapeno until they get soft – maybe 5 minutes. Add the garlic & stir for a minute & then add the curry paste & coconut milk & amino acid (or soy sauce) & agave. Incorporate & then add the cauliflower rice. Stir in some cilantro & combine. Garnish with additional cilantro & lime wedges & serve.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or just print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
OK – kiddies! DDD #13 is UP!
Like boobs? Like mac & cheese? Who doesn’t? I am really proud of this episode (and my cans – it seems) as it makes the best of a disaster & really showcases (boobs) how mac & cheese can be delightfully vegan (boobs). But – if (boobs) mac & cheese is not your bag – my rack is very prominently on display here & really tries hard to distract viewers from the recipe in progress so – feel free to just focus on that. Watch my blunders, my fun bags or learn a great recipe – I don’t care. Just watch! I even have a post-credits blooper! Oh – and I think I say “fuck” about 20x in this. So – enjoy!!! Please share & please SUBSCRIBE!! Did I mention boobs? BOOBS!
Click the link for my Green Enchilada & Spicy Chili Pepper Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower recipe & please subscribe!
So – I wanted to make a healthier mac & cheese – less cheese (even less vegan cheese) and less pasta. I looked in the fridge & my pantry & found these potential ingredients.
As it turned out – I used all but the vegan cream cheese & the Daiya cheddar shreds. So – the only actual cheese (vegan cheese) in this recipe is the Field Roast Chao Tomato-Cayenne slices. If you can’t find these or do not like them (I think the 3 Chao cheeses are the best grocery store vegan cheeses on the market so far) – then use Daiya or any other kind of vegan cheese – or even real cheese (if you are not vegan).
This is a very easy dish to make – though it does have a few steps. The only special tool you need is a blender (or a food processor). No need to soak cashews overnight. And – most importantly – it is VERY convincing! None of the over-powering flavor of nutritional yeast yet all the wet, creaminess of real mac & cheese. I swear – non-vegans will not identify this as vegan. It has the additional benefit of using two full heads of cauliflower – but they blend in and become virtually undetectable – so your veggie hating kiddies will likely eat this with little argument (though you might want to reduce the spiciness for tender palates).
My primary excitement about this recipe is the green enchilada roux. Traditional roux is made with butter, flour & milk. I definitely wanted to use the green enchilada sauce but I did not want the dish to be swimming in liquid – as I feared it might be if I made a roux with milk and also added the enchilada sauce. Happy news! The enchilada sauce blended & thickened with the butter & flour as easily as milk would have but added SO much more flavor.
Again – while there are a few steps (mainly, boiling & draining to heads of cauliflower & the pasta) – none are difficult & the resulting dish is supremely gratifying! I hope you try it!
Healthy and Cheesy Vegan Green Enchilada & Spicy Chili Pepper Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower
Serves at least 6
INGREDIENTS
2 heads cauliflower (I used one white & one yellow)
for the roux
4 TBS vegan butter
4 TBS flour
16 oz green enchilada sauce
7 oz vegan cheddar (sliced up or grated)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (SUPER optional – I just had a little left over that I wanted to use up)
for the mac & cheese
1-2 jalapenos – one seeded & diced and one seeded & sliced (optional – depending on your taste for spice)
1 4oz can diced green chilies (I used hot but you could use mild)
2 ears corn – kernels cut from the cob (or about one 14 oz can of corn or 1 cup frozen corn)
1 lb pasta (shape of your choice)
1-2 cups breadcrumbs (I used panko)
Cooking spray
GARNISH: cilantro, avocado, diced tomato, hot sauces, additional fresh jalapeno or canned chilies
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Treat a 9×13 casserole pan with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta according to directions (maybe 1 minute less than suggested) – drain & set aside.
If you are using 2 different colors of cauliflower – you might want to cut each into florets & then boil & drain them each separately. Or not. It doesn’t matter much but the yellow cauliflower purees & looks like a cheesier sauce than white cauliflower will. Still – some cheddar cheeses are white – so – don’t sweat it, whatever you decide. If you are just using 2 heads of the same color – boil until just tender (5-7 minutes) – drain & set aside.
If you used one head of yellow cauliflower – put it (with about 1 cup of hot water) into a blender & puree until very smooth. Only add just as much water as you need to accomplish this – which could be more or less than a cup of water – depending on the size of the head you used.
If you used to heads of the same color – just puree one head worth as described above. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan & whisk in the flour. It should thicken & brown a bit very quickly – maybe a minute. Add the enchilada sauce incrementally – letting it thicken before adding more – until it is all incorporated & rater thick.
Add the cheese & stir until it melts.
Add the pureed cauliflower & nutritional yeast (if using), salt & pepper to taste, and then one diced jalapeno, canned chilies & the corn.
Combine & adjust S&P – if necessary.
Put the sauce in a large bowl & then add the pasta and the remaining cauliflower florets. Combine.
Pour the mac & cheese into the casserole dish & top with breadcrumbs & maybe some sliced jalapeno. Spray with cooking spray – as this helps the breadcrumbs brown (because vegan cheese does not have the animal fat of real cheese – which is what browns in traditional mac & cheese).
Bake at 400 for about 30-45 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are browned a bit & the cheese sauce is bubbly.
Let rest for about ten minutes & then serve. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, diced tomatoes and/or anything else you like.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option. Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out. It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing. The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.
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I am reposting this recipe from August 2013 because I have a new Video Vegan episode to go with it. Here it is:
That photo is un-retouched & shot in natural light. So – yes! That pasta really IS that color! Pretty to look at but with the delicate flavors of saffron and cauliflower – this is a delightful pasta dish.
I found this great saffron liquid at Super King for $7.
That is a way cheaper option than saffron threads but saffron threads will be easier to find, I suspect. I actually made this twice because the first time I made it – I made it with whole wheat fusilli & I didn’t like the photos. This dish above was made with regular linguini. The first time I made it, I used white wine & ghee (clarified butter). The second time, I used regular butter & skipped the wine. I think they tasted pretty much the same so I am going to post the one I made this morning. There is only a tiny bit of the heavy cream per serving so do not be alarmed. It isn’t as rich as you might fear.
Saffron Cream Pasta with Cauliflower, Tomatoes & Chili Flakes
INGREDIENTS (for two very healthy servings)
1/2 lb dry pasta or your choice
1 small head cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
2 large shallots – minced
2 tomatoes – diced
2 TBS ghee or butter (or vegan alternative)
1/2 cup heavy cream (or vegan alternative – almond milk should work fine)
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
1-2 TBS olive oil
1 generous pinch (1/2 a tsp or more) saffron threads steeped in 1/4 cup hot (not boiling) water OR 1 TBS (or more) saffron liquid from a bottle
Crushed red pepper to taste
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat & saute the shallots until just soft but not browned. If using wine – add it now & cook it off for about a minute. Or just skip ahead.
Add the ghee or butter and the heavy cream & the saffron. Simmer over medium heat until it reduces by about half. Add the tomatoes & the steamed cauliflower.
Add salt & white pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta according to instructions, drain & add directly to the pan with the saffron sauce. Combine thoroughly. Serve with lots of crushed red pepper.
Delightful-Delicious-Delovely 