To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
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My good friend, Edi Verdugo, joins me for this two-parter to make his family’s recipes. The green salsa will be in part 2. Consider making vegan nachos using the rice, beans & salsa.
Click the link below to watch.
Vegan Mexican Pinto Beans (for the Instant Pot)
INGREDIENTS
3 cups dry pinto beans
9 cups water
1 large onion – ends cut off & peeled but still whole
1-2 TBS garlic salt (to taste)
S & P to taste
DIRECTIONS
Put everything in the instant pot & cook on manual for 45 minutes.
The beans will look watery but they are supposed to be. Season to taste.
Vegan Mexican Rice
INGREDIENTS
1-2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 (7 3/4) ounce can hot tomato sauce
1 TBS bouillon
DIRECTIONS
Toast the rice in the olive oil until it becomes fragrant & looks a bit golden. Do not overcook it.
Add the rest of the ingredients & cook rice according to package directions.
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.
Vegan Shaved Fennel, Green Apple & Arugula Salad with Toasted Walnuts & Lemon Vinaigrette
serves 4
for the vinaigrette
2 lemons
olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
S&P
for the salad
1 cup walnut pieces
2 fennel bulbs – sliced as thinly as possible
2 large granny smith apples – cored & sliced as thinly as possible
2 or more cups arugula
INSTRUCTIONS
Squeeze the two lemons – getting as much juice as possible. Whatever you get there – add an equal amount (or a tad less) of olive oil. Season with S&P. Add a splash of balsamic, if you like.
In a dry pan, toast the walnut pieces until they become aromatic & just begin to brown. A minute or 2. Set aside off of heat.
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. I had a head of purple cabbage in my fridge that was the size of a basketball. I decided to add half of it to some leftover rice to accomplish two things: not waste all the cabbage & to extend the quantity of rice with some guiltless & vibrant cabbage. I am very happy with the result both in color & the crunch the cabbage adds to the texture. I recommend it very highly.
Purple Cabbage Fried Rice
INGREDIENTS
(I used a tad more cabbage than rice but the ratio is up to you.)
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups chopped purple cabbage
1/2 onion – diced
1 cup grated or slivered carrots
1-5 cloves garlic – chopped
2 or more TBS fresh minced ginger
1 TBS sesame (or other) oil
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large wok or saute pan. Add the onions, & cabbage & saute until they begin to soften. Add the carrots, rice & ginger & stir to combine & warm through. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Serve.
Vegan Spicy Lemongrass & Ginger Beef
Serves 2 very well (this is HALF the recipe I made in the video)
INGREDIENTS
2 or 3 stalks of lemongrass – cut into 3″ lengths & smashed with the handle of a knife (to bruise them & release the flavor. The cooked lemongrass is inedible so pick around it in the finished dish.) . Or – use the juice of 1/2 lemon.
8+ ounces seitan (or other meat replacement like – Beyond Meat Chicken or Gardein beef or pork products)
3 dry red chilies (optional – they are quite spicy) – crumbled a bit
2 TBS dark soy sauce (it gives the seitan that dark & beefy color)
1 TBS liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)
1 TBS shao xing rice wine
2 TBS brown sugar
Potential garnished: sliced red or green jalapeno peppers, basil or mint or cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a wok or large pan & add the dry red chilies – if using. Add the lemongrass & saute a minute or two. Add the green beans & saute on high heat until they begin to sear a bit.
Add the remaining ingredients. Add about 1/4 cup water to aid in steaming the beans a bit & create some sauce. Heat through – until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice.
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.
~
Click the image above to watch the video.
So easy & delicious over rice or my Garlic & Ginger Cauliflower Rice.
Spicy Garlic and Ginger Green Beans
INGREDIENTS
12 oz green beans
1 onion – sliced
1 TBS (more or less – to taste) crushed red pepper
Splash of soy sauce
1-2 TBS coconut oil (or olive oil)
4 garlic cloves – minced
1 TBS ginger – minced
Sesame seeds as garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a very large saute pan (or wok) – heat the oil on high heat. Add the onions, green beans & crushed red pepper. Stir & cook until the green beans are cooked to your desired softness. I like them a bit crunchy & probably cooked them for between 5-8 minutes. At the very end, add the minced garlic & ginger & stir to incorporate. Cook for maybe a minute or two. Garnish with sesame seeds & eat it as a side or over rice. Ymmmmmmm!
The top video there is trailer for my novel. The second is me reading from it a while back – at Vroman’s.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Reposting this recipe because I have a video to accompany it. Please – subscribe to my channel on Youtube. Www.VideoVegan.com. Click the photo below to watch the video.
Today – I wanted to use one of them for my Green Beans & Minced Pork. I looked at the calorie count of each of the two remaining cans and was surprised to see a huge calorie disparity despite the fact that the ingredients list is identical.
So – since the “roast duck” had fewer calories – I used that one. Despite the image on the can – it looked exactly like the fried gluten one did. I have not opened the third can yet but I suspect it is just more of the same but – somehow – with more than twice the calories – so – I likely will feed it to my dogs & just use the others in the future. I man – see below? First image below is the fried pork & the second is the duck.
Same thing. Canned seitan in water. So – for this dish, you could use canned & drained seitan or your favorite brand of seitan – or even a faux beef like Beyond Meat’s Beefless Crumbles (or other brand of ground beef). The flavors in this dish are very strong & will take over the dish. You could even use Beyond Meat’s chickenless strips. No matter.
I served this with my newest rice discover – Thai Rice Berry (black jasmine) rice.
I saw this new rice at my favorite Thai grocery store – Bangluck. $10 for 5 pounds – so I could not resist. I looked it up online & found THIS:
Riceberry Rice is the new variety of rice that has been bred in Thailand. The rice is deep purple in colour; this rich dark colour is typical of plants that yield high nutrition. Rice berry rice is cross pollination of three hardy and loved rice strains; they are:
Thai Hom Mali Race – also known as fragrant jasmine rice, the highest quality and most sort after rice in the world, after cooking it retains its structure but takes on a soft fluffy consistency.
Hom Nin Rice – has well known and documented antioxidant properties, but this grain can become a little chewy if it isn’t cooked through.
Khao Dawk Mali 105 – a hardy seed which will grow in a broad range of agricultural environments.
The cross-pollination of these three rice plants has resulted in Riceberry Rice, a new and exciting rice variety. Riceberry takes on the best attributes of each of the grains that were used in its inception. The light fluffy texture and flavour from Thai jasmine rice, high in minerals and antioxidants from Hom Nin rice and hardy and high yield characteristics of Khao Dawk Mali 105.
Riceberry Rice Nutrition Profile
Riceberry rice is rich in many antioxidant that help our immune system stay healthy. It contains significant levels of:
Beta-carotene
Gama Oryzanol
Vitamin E
Folic Acid
Tannin
Zinc
Fiber
Bran Oil
These antioxidants, vitamins and minerals give riceberry rice a nutrition profile that is relatively unique. The dark purple colour it matures signifies it high nutrition content and gives it a unique appearance when served.
The rice is also extremely high in fiber and bran oil, this natural aids digestion and helps keep the stomach free from disease.
Thai Rice Glycemic Index
Riceberry rice has been graded as low-medium in the glycemic index. The abundant fiber and bran oil which it contains helps to reduce the risks of diabetes by hindering the absorption of sugars into the blood through the stomach. It also helps the pancreas function better.
This green bean dish is very easy. I used fresh green beans & loads of spices. You could use frozen green beans but I think canned ones will just become mush.
Vegan Spicy Szechuan Green Beans with Minced Pork
serves 2 with rice
INGREDIENTS
10+ oz seitan (or other faux meat)
1 lb green beans – trimmed & cut in half
1 TBS olive oil
2-3 TBS cornstarch
1-6 cloves garlic – minced (I used 6)
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tsp to 2 TBS crushed red pepper (according to your taste for heat)
1-6 dry red chilies (VERY spicy & VERY optional) – cut in half (I used 6)
GARNISH – cooked rice, sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
Cook the rice.
Mince the faux meat & toss with the cornstarch.
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan & add the rest of the ingredients – EXCEPT THE GARLIC.
Stir to combine. If using fresh green beans – add about 1/4 cup water, bring to a boil & cover for 3-5 minutes or until the green beans are cooked to your taste. Frozen beans won’t need this step but you can still add water if your sauce cooks off too much or the meat sticks to the pan too much.
When it all seems warmed through & the sauce is thick – toss in the garlic & stir for one minute. Serve with rice.
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.
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.
I had a head of purple cabbage in my fridge that was the size of a basketball. I decided to add half of it to some leftover rice to accomplish two things: not waste all the cabbage & to extend the quantity of rice with some guiltless & vibrant cabbage. I am very happy with the result both in color & the crunch the cabbage adds to the texture. I recommend it very highly.
Purple Cabbage Fried Rice
INGREDIENTS
(I used a tad more cabbage than rice but the ratio is up to you.)
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups chopped purple cabbage
1/2 onion – diced
1 cup grated or slivered carrots
1-5 cloves garlic – chopped
2 or more TBS fresh minced ginger
1 TBS sesame (or other) oil
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large wok or saute pan. Add the onions, & cabbage & saute until they begin to soften. Add the carrots, rice & ginger & stir to combine & warm through. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Serve.
Vegan Spicy Lemongrass & Ginger Beef
Serves 2 very well
INGREDIENTS
3 stalks of lemongrass – cut into 3″ lengths & smashed with the handle of a knife (to bruise them & release the flavor. The cooked lemongrass is inedible so pick around it in the finished dish.)
8+ ounces seitan (or other meat replacement like – Beyond Meat Chicken or Gardein beef or pork products)
3 dry red chilies (optional – they are quite spicy) – crumbled a bit
2 TBS dark soy sauce (it gives the seitan that dark & beefy color)
1 TBS liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)
1 TBS shao xing rice wine
2 TBS brown sugar
Potential garnished: sliced red or green jalapeno peppers, basil or mint or cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a wok or large pan & add the dry red chilies – if using. Add the lemongrass & saute a minute or two. Add the green beans & saute on high heat until they begin to sear a bit.
Add the remaining ingredients. Add about 1/4 cup water to aid in steaming the beans a bit & create some sauce. Heat through – until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice.
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.
So – I bought those two gorgeous green tomatoes at the farmers’ market. Legit, unripe green tomatoes. Harder to find than you may think. So – I made that first effort with them above – my Easy Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes. They were simply & delicious but I did not use anything in place of the egg typically used when folks make this & the breading was fragile & did not stick to the slick sides of the tomato slices. So – today – I used the other tomato for these tacos & used aquafaba in place of eggs.
“What is aquafaba?
The word aquafaba is the common name for the cooking liquid of beans and other legumes like chickpeas. You may know it as the typically discarded liquid found in retail cans and boxes of beans, or as the liquid left over from cooking your own.”
I used the liquid from a can of chickpeas and it worked pretty well. I found that my breadcrumb mixture was still a bit fragile but it seemed to adhere a bit better.
The remoulade is a nice & tangy touch but any sauce you like would do – even vegan salad dressing.
Vegan Fried Green Tomato Street Tacos with Spicy Remoulade
Feeds two
INGREDIENTS
8 small street taco=sized corn tortillas
1 large green tomato – sliced into 1/4 to 1/3 inch rounds (try to get 4 slices)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup panko crumbs (I used only panko in these tacos)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (or any mixture you prefer or have handy)
Cajun seasoning (to taste) or S&P
1/4 cup or so non-dairy milk
The liquid from a can of chickpeas or other beans OR 1/4 cup or so of almond milk
Enough vegetable oil to submerge the breaded tomato in your frying pan
1 tsp juice from a jar of jalapenos (optional) or 1 tsp diced pickled jalapeno
Dash of hot sauce
Pinch of each: onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika
DIRECTIONS
Prep all the ingredients.
Make the remoulade by whisking the ingredients together.
I only used panko this time. You can use whatever mixture of crumbs you desire & season as you like – either with a Cajun seasoning or S&P or something else you like.
Wet the tomato slices & dredge them through the flour then the aquafaba (or almond milk) & then the bread crumb mixture. I dunked mine a second time into the aquafaba & panko.
Heat the oil (deep enough to submerge the tomato slices so they will not require flipping). Let the oil get very hot & then carefully slide the tomato slices into the oil & fry until they are browned to your liking. Drain on paper towels.
While the tomatoes drain – warm your tortillas directly on your stove burners.
Cut the tomatoes in half & assemble 8 tacos. Serve with the accoutrements of your choice & drizzle with remoulade. Devour!
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.
I had fried green tomatoes in Vicksburg, Mississippi once and I have been obsessed ever since. The ones there were decadent & I think they had cheese on them or a remoulade and they were amazing. Since then, I order them whenever they are on the menu. The other day, I found genuine GREEN tomatoes – meaning – tomatoes that were not yet ripe. In the past, I have cheated & used ripe, green heirloom tomatoes but they do not have the texture and tang of an authentic green tomato. Despite being on a pantry strike (eating ONLY what I already have in the house & attempting to spend zero on groceries) – I put out $2.50 for these two beauties.
Hard & shiny & bright green.
Traditionally, the slices of tomato are dipped in a milk & egg mixture & then dredged through a breadcrumb-cornmeal mixture. Almond milk works just fine & rather than try to sub out the egg with a vegan alternative – I decided to just omit it. The result was that the crumb mixture had less to grip – especially on the slick edges of the tomato. But – I am cool with that. The fried breading is lovely but also the only naughty/guilty part of these guys so – a little less fried stuff is better for my own personal girth. I only cooked one tomato today. Tomorrow, I will try a different method & post that but I was very happy with these. They would go great in a sandwich – like – an avocado, lettuce & fried green tomato sandwich or a grilled cheese with fried green tomatoes. Again – I am trying to drop a few pounds (over the holidays – right?) so I just ate these naked – but for a few splashes of Crystal – my all-time favorite hot sauce.
Easy Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 1
INGREDIENTS
1 unripened green tomato – sliced into 1/4 to 1/3 inch rounds.
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (or any mixture you prefer or have handy)
Cajun seasoning (to taste) or S&P
1/4 cup or so non-dairy milk
Enough vegetable oil to submerge the breaded tomato in your frying pan
Hot sauce of choice
DIRECTIONS
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl – pour some almond milk. Use enough oil so that your tomatoes will be submerged in it. This way – you do not have to flip them – increasing the opportunities for the breading to fall off. Heat your oil until it is very hot – hot enough for a few breadcrumbs to immediately sizzle when dropped into the pan. Dip the tomato slices in the milk & then the breadcrumb mixture. I then put each breaded slice back into the milk & crumbs a second time. When your oil is hot – carefully put the tomato slices in the oil & fry until browned to your desire. Drain on paper towels. Serve with hot sauce or a remoulade.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
This is a very, very easy dish. It can be made with your favorite vegan chicken (or even real chicken, if you eat it, put in the pan skin-side up). I have not eaten chicken since the eighties & I pretty much always use Beyond Meat chicken when making vegan chicken dishes. You can use as much chicken to potato to green bean as you desire. I prefer a heavier vegetable content. Others like more protein. You can decide for yourself how much of each of the three ingredients you need to feed your head count.
Vegan One-Pan Chicken Piccata with Green Beans & Roasted Potatoes
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or treat a casserole dish with cooking oil.
Whisk the olive oil & about 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice with the garlic & season with S&P to taste.
Thinly slice one or two lemons & layer the bottom of your cooking pan.
Toss the green beans in the lemon juice & olive oil in a pan or bowl. Using tongs – put them on one third of the cooking pan – leaving the remaining olive oil mixture in the bowl. Toss the chicken & place it in the center of the pan. Toss the potatoes & put them on the pan. Reserve the remaining oil & juice. Add a bit of S&P. Do not add the capers yet. My photos show that I did but they got a bit too dried out.
Roast about 25 minutes & then mix each of the rows up a bit so the other sides of things can roast. Add the capers. Cook another 25 minutes or so or until everything looks done to you. You can remove anything that seems done & keep roasting other things – the potatoes, for instance – until they are done to your liking.
Plate & garnish with the remaining olive oil & lemon, extra capers, parsley & lemon wedges.
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Slow cooker recipes. Is anything better than just dumping a bunch of ingredients into a slow cooker, going away for hours and then coming home to dinner – warm & waiting? I think not!
I used yellow split lentils or urad dal – but any variety of lentils will work just fine. I added a ton of random vegetables – because I had them. You can add or omit any veggies you like.
I had a big bag of English peas & some fresh spinach that were going to spoil before I could cook them – so – I froze them.
It was about 2 cups of peas & make 4 cups of spinach but the spinach wilted in the freezer – down to about 4 cups. If you use frozen veggies in yours – add them at the very end or they will just disintegrate.
Vegan Spicy Green Coconut Curry with Vegetables & Split Lentils for the Slow Cooker
Makes a lot – likely enough to feed 6 well if served with rice
INGREDIENTS (very flexible)
2 cups lentils
2 potatoes – cubed
1 small onion – diced
1-4 cloves garlic – minced
1 small head cauliflower – cut into small florets
1-5 jalapenos – seeded & diced (use less or omit – if you do not like heat)
3-5 carrots – sliced
3 TBS ginger – minced
1 (5.5 oz) can coconut milk (use more for a richer curry)
3 TBS green curry paste
1 TBS garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp turmeric
6 cups vegetable stock
4 cups fresh spinach or 2 cups frozen
2 cups peas
S&P
GARNISH – hot sauce (like sriracha), cilantro & cooked rice (I used basmati)
DIRECTIONS
Put everything except peas, spinach & any frozen vegetables you might be using into the slow cooker. If using anything frozen – all them to thaw. Ignore my photos showing the spinach & peas being added with the other ingredients at the start. They disintegrated & I had to add more of each at the end. I also added the cauliflower after the curry had been cooking for hours – hence the different-looking imagery below.
Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. If it is too thick, add stock or water. If it is too thin – cook a bit longer with the lid off – or mash some of the curry with a masher or immersion blender to create a thicker gravy.
15 minutes before serving – add peas, spinach & any frozen vegetables you selected. Season with S&P.
Serve with rice & garnish with cilantro & hot sauce.
Today – I wanted to use one of them for my Green Beans & Minced Pork. I looked at the calorie count of each of the two remaining cans and was surprised to see a huge calorie disparity despite the fact that the ingredients list is identical.
So – since the “roast duck” had fewer calories – I used that one. Despite the image on the can – it looked exactly like the fried gluten one did. I have not opened the third can yet but I suspect it is just more of the same but – somehow – with more than twice the calories – so – I likely will feed it to my dogs & just use the others in the future. I man – see below? First image below is the fried pork & the second is the duck.
Same thing. Canned seitan in water. So – for this dish, you could use canned & drained seitan or your favorite brand of seitan – or even a faux beef like Beyond Meat’s Beefless Crumbles (or other brand of ground beef). The flavors in this dish are very strong & will take over the dish. You could even use Beyond Meat’s chickenless strips. No matter.
I served this with my newest rice discover – Thai Rice Berry (black jasmine) rice.
I saw this new rice at my favorite Thai grocery store – Bangluck. $10 for 5 pounds – so I could not resist. I looked it up online & found THIS:
Riceberry Rice is the new variety of rice that has been bred in Thailand. The rice is deep purple in colour; this rich dark colour is typical of plants that yield high nutrition. Rice berry rice is cross pollination of three hardy and loved rice strains; they are:
Thai Hom Mali Race – also known as fragrant jasmine rice, the highest quality and most sort after rice in the world, after cooking it retains its structure but takes on a soft fluffy consistency.
Hom Nin Rice – has well known and documented antioxidant properties, but this grain can become a little chewy if it isn’t cooked through.
Khao Dawk Mali 105 – a hardy seed which will grow in a broad range of agricultural environments.
The cross-pollination of these three rice plants has resulted in Riceberry Rice, a new and exciting rice variety. Riceberry takes on the best attributes of each of the grains that were used in its inception. The light fluffy texture and flavour from Thai jasmine rice, high in minerals and antioxidants from Hom Nin rice and hardy and high yield characteristics of Khao Dawk Mali 105.
Riceberry Rice Nutrition Profile
Riceberry rice is rich in many antioxidant that help our immune system stay healthy. It contains significant levels of:
Beta-carotene
Gama Oryzanol
Vitamin E
Folic Acid
Tannin
Zinc
Fiber
Bran Oil
These antioxidants, vitamins and minerals give riceberry rice a nutrition profile that is relatively unique. The dark purple colour it matures signifies it high nutrition content and gives it a unique appearance when served.
The rice is also extremely high in fiber and bran oil, this natural aids digestion and helps keep the stomach free from disease.
Thai Rice Glycemic Index
Riceberry rice has been graded as low-medium in the glycemic index. The abundant fiber and bran oil which it contains helps to reduce the risks of diabetes by hindering the absorption of sugars into the blood through the stomach. It also helps the pancreas function better.
This green bean dish is very easy. I used fresh green beans & loads of spices. You could use frozen green beans but I think canned ones will just become mush.
Vegan Spicy Szechuan Green Beans with Minced Pork
serves 2 with rice
INGREDIENTS
10+ oz seitan (or other faux meat)
1 lb green beans – trimmed & cut in half
1 TBS olive oil
2-3 TBS cornstarch
1-6 cloves garlic – minced (I used 6)
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tsp to 2 TBS crushed red pepper (according to your taste for heat)
1-6 dry red chilies (VERY spicy & VERY optional) – cut in half (I used 6)
GARNISH – cooked rice, sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
Cook the rice.
Mince the faux meat & toss with the cornstarch.
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan & add the rest of the ingredients – EXCEPT THE GARLIC.
Stir to combine. If using fresh green beans – add about 1/4 cup water, bring to a boil & cover for 3-5 minutes or until the green beans are cooked to your taste. Frozen beans won’t need this step but you can still add water if your sauce cooks off too much or the meat sticks to the pan too much.
When it all seems warmed through & the sauce is thick – toss in the garlic & stir for one minute. Serve with rice.
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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.
