DDD #119 – Vegan Sriracha Chicken Bowl with Broccoli

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2018

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

Click the image below to watch the video for this recipe.  Plus – watch it to meet my newest foster dog – an adorable & brave trauma rescue from Uruguay and hear how I met Rachel Maddow, Fairuza Balk, Doyle from the Misfits & more!

This chicken & broccoli comes together faster than the rice – so – if you have warm, cooked rice ready – you can serve this in ten minutes.  None of the ingredients are particularly exotic but it is GENUINELY spicy.  I like a lot of heat & this took it to my limit – so – if you are more timid in the spice department – cut the spicy things way back or drop them completely.  I used – as always – Beyond Meat brand vegan chicken because it is absolutely the best on the market.  It comes in 9 ounce packages.

10-Minute Spicy Vegan Sriracha Chicken & Broccoli Bowl

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 to 12 ounces vegan chicken – cubed

1 jalapeno – seeded & diced (optional)

1/4 red bell pepper – chopped

Olive oil

1-5 dry red chilies – halved & seeded (VERY optional as these are VERY spicy – and if you use hem – do not chew & swallow them – but pick them out when you eat)

1/2 cup vegan hoisin sauce

1-2 TBS sriracha sauce

1-3 tsp crushed garlic (I used jarred)

1 TBS ginger (I used jarred)

Broccoli for 2 – fresh or frozen

Salted peanuts

Sliced scallions as garnish

Cooked rice for 2

DIRECTIONS

Cook the rice.  If you are using fresh broccoli – steam it a few minutes until it is done to your taste & set aside.  If using frozen – cook it according to directions & set aside

Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a pan.  Saute the jalapeno & red chili – if using them.  When the jalapeno is softens (a few minutes) – add the garlic & ginger & saute 1 minute.  Add the hoisin & sriracha and the chicken & heat the chicken through.

Assemble the bowls with the rice, broccoli & chicken & garnish with peanuts & scallions.

DDD #95 – Vegan Vietnamese Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich with Pickled Vegetables & Sriracha Mayo

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2018

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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 fucker was awesome!  There are a few steps to assemble the ingredients but they are all easy.  You can make this with any sort of chicken substitute you might like.  I am obsessed with Beyond Meat strips.  They do not have an overpowering taste & can easily be manipulated & I like the texture, too. Seitan works nicely, too!

Traditionally, banh mi have pork in them but I haven’t found a decent fake pork – unless you believe that pork is “the new white meat.”  If so – this fake chicken could masquerade as fake pork, too.

This takes a few hours of planning ahead so that you can marinate the chicken & pickle the carrots & jalapeno & daikon.

If you cannot find vegan fish sauce – there are lots of pretty simple recipes for vegan fish sauce HERE.  Whatever you do, do not skip the marinade because it tastes great & the sriracha mayo is good enough to eat with a spoon.

 

Marinated Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich

Makes two sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

2 crusty rolls or some high quality baguette

8 oz faux chicken

1 avocado – cut into slices

1/2 cucumber – sliced thin

leafy lettuce

2 radishes – sliced thin

1 jalapeno – seeded & sliced thin

cilantro

Olive oil or cooking spray

For the pickled vegetables

1 carrot – cut into matchsticks

daikon – cut into matchsticks

1 jalapeno – seeded & cut into matchsticks

3 cups warm water

3 TBS sugar

2 TBS salt

4 TBS white or rice vinegar

For the marinade

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

6 garlic cloves (or to taste) – minced

4 shallots (or 1/2 small onion) – diced

2 TBS fish sauce (vegan version – or omit it)

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp Chinese five spice

1 TBS hoisin sauce

1 tsp sriracha (or to taste)

For the spicy mayo

1/4 cup vegan mayo

1 lime

3 TBS sriracha

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350.

For the pickled vegetables

Warm the water & add the sugar, salt & vinegar & stir until the sugar & salt dissolve.  Put the matchstick veggies in a bowl or jar & cover with the warm water mix.  Store in the fridge for at least and hour or two.

For the marinade

Blend all the marinade ingredients & add the chicken to it.  Store in the fridge for at least an hour.

For the spicy mayo

Blend the mayo with the sriracha & the juice of the lime.  Store in the fridge.

For the Banh Mi

Prepare the cucumber, avocado, radishes & jalapeno.  Set aside.

Heat a frying or grill pan.  Treat it with cooking spray or olive oil & cook up the marinated chicken.  Set aside.

Scoop the soft part of the bread out & throw it away.  Heat the bread in the warm oven for 5 minutes.

To assemble – simply spread some spicy mayo on the bread.  Then layer on some chicken.  Then pickled veggies (drained well!) & radish slices.  Add sliced cucumber & jalapeno.  Add lettuce & cilantro.  Add some avocado.  Smash it together.  Shove it in your face – and feel free to dip it in the extra spicy mayo.

See?  What’d I tell you?

DDD #64 – My “You Are Not Vegan Enough” Rant & Holiday Leftovers Shepherd’s Pie & 14 Other Ideas

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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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.

Click the image to watch the video.

Thanksgiving Vegan Torta Rustica with Creamed Spinach and Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes & Sweet Potato-Butternut Squash Puree

Vegan Chicken & Mixed Vegetable Pot Pie

Vegan Spicy Chicken Enchilada Soup with Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

Vegan Marinated Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich

Vegan Horseradish Chicken Salad with Pecans and Jalapeno Potato Salad in Baked Wonton Cups

Vegan Chicken Salad Wraps

Cool Vegan Cashew & Cranberry Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado

Sweet & Spicy Vegan Island Chicken with Pineapple

10-Minute Spicy Vegan Sriracha Chicken & Broccoli Bowl

Healthy Vegan Chicken Fricassee with Tarragon

Healthy Vegan Chinese Chicken Salad with Spicy Asian Dressing

Vegan Cold Chicken Piccata Pasta Salad with Asparagus & Spinach

Vegan Firecracker Chicken

Vegan Beef and Vegetable (Shepherd’s Pie) Empanadas

DDD #48 – 10-Minute Spicy Vegan Sriracha Chicken & Broccoli Bowl

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

Click the image below to watch the video for this recipe.

This chicken & broccoli comes together faster than the rice – so – if you have warm, cooked rice ready – you can serve this in ten minutes.  None of the ingredients are particularly exotic but it is GENUINELY spicy.  I like a lot of heat & this took it to my limit – so – if you are more timid in the spice department – cut the spicy things way back or drop them completely.  I used – as always – Beyond Meat brand vegan chicken because it is absolutely the best on the market.  It comes in 9 or 12 ounce packages.

10-Minute Spicy Vegan Sriracha Chicken & Broccoli Bowl

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 to 12 ounces vegan chicken – cubed

1 jalapeno – seeded & diced (optional)

Olive oil

1-5 dry red chilies – halved & seeded (VERY optional as these are VERY spicy – and if you use hem – do not chew & swallow them – but pick them out when you eat)

1/2 cup vegan hoisin sauce

1-2 TBS sriracha sauce

1-3 tsp crushed garlic (I used jarred)

1 TBS ginger (I used jarred)

Broccoli for 2 – fresh or frozen

Salted peanuts

Sliced scallions as garnish

Cooked rice for 2

DIRECTIONS

Cook the rice.  If you are using fresh broccoli – steam it a few minutes until it is done to your taste & set aside.  If using frozen – cook it according to directions & set aside

Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a pan.  Saute the jalapeno & red chili – if using them.  When the jalapeno is softens (a few minutes) – add the garlic & ginger & saute 1 minute.  Add the hoisin & sriracha and the chicken & heat the chicken through.

Assemble the bowls with the rice, broccoli & chicken & garnish with peanuts & scallions.

DDD #45 – Vegan Pulled Pork Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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The video for the stovetop version is here.  The slow cooker one is far below.  Click the image below to watch the stovetop recipe.

Vegan Pulled Pork Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce (Stovetop)

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

Drizzle of olive oil

1 (20 oz) can of young jackfruit – drained & shredded by hand

1-2 garlic cloves – chopped

2 tsp cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

A few dashes of soy sauce or tamari

1/3 cup ketchup

1 TBS blackberry (or other dark berry) jam or preserves or chutney

1 TBS Sriracha

1 tsp molasses

A few dashes vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

DIRECTIONS

Heat a little bit of oil in a pan.  Add the shredded jackfruit & the remaining ingredients & combine.  Heat through & serve as you desire.

That above is jackfruit.  It is a staple in Southeast Asian diets.  It is a giant fruit that grows to 100 pounds.  If you want to read more about it – I went into some detail in my Vegan Jackfruit Spicy Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles post.  Those are the noodles – below.

I bought this jackfruit in cans for $1.39 at my favorite Thai market – Bangluck – but I hear most Asian markets carry it.  Just be sure to buy UNRIPE or young jackfruit in water or brine.  Ripe jackfruit in syrup – it seems – tastes like Juicy Fruit gum & would be awful in this dish.

I made this in the slow cooker using a combination of jackfruit & Beyond Meat vegan chicken strips.

Both the jackfruit (above) & chicken will require that you shred it using two forks to achieve the pulled chicken visual.  It is easy once they are warmed & soft.  Just fish them out of the BBQ sauce & shred them on a cutting board.

I used it in tacos – HERE.

And on pasta – HERE.

And on pizza HERE.

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 (20 oz) cans of young jackfruit

9 oz vegan chicken (or two more cans jackfruit)

4 garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBS cider vinegar

2 TBS Dijon mustard

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup blackberry (or other dark berry) jam or preserves

3 TBS sriracha

1 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 (12 oz) bottle of dark (or other) beer (optional)

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS chili powder

DIRECTIONS

Put everything in the slow cooker & leave on high for 5 hours.

At some point – you need to use two forks & shred the chicken & jackfruit.

Serve as you would serve any pulled chicken.

DDD #26 – Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

I am reposting this 2015 recipe because I now have a www.VideoVegan.com video to accompany it!  Click the image below to watch & please subscribe to my channel.

This is super easy – especially if you buy some of that pre-chopped slaw mix.  And why not?  Why buy two heads of cabbage & spend time chopping & then not use all the cabbage & have two half heads in the fridge – laying a guilt trip on you until they turn brown enough to warrant tossing them?   Who needs that shit?  Cabbage likes to pop all over the place, too, like cauliflower.  So – do yourself a favor and buy a bag of cole slaw mix.  Or not – your call.

This can be served as a side or as a burger topping or, as I did last night, put on top of tacos.  Creamy, yummy & cruelty-free.

Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw

Makes about 3 cups

INGREDIENTS

8 oz (3 cups) of chopped cabbage (I used a bagged slaw mix) & carrot shreds

1/8-1/2 cup sriracha – start small & add in increments until you reach your spice level

1/3 cup vegan mayo – (increase if you like wetter slaw)

2 TBS white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

2 TBS miso paste

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 TBS agave nectar

1/4 tsp salt

2 TBS chia seeds (optional but very good for you)

DIRECTIONS

I literally put everything in a tupperware container & just shook the bejesus out of it.  You can just stir it all up in a bowl.  Increase mayo or sriracha or salt to taste.

Chill & serve!

10-Minute Spicy Vegan Sriracha Chicken & Broccoli Bowl

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

This chicken & broccoli comes together faster than the rice – so – if you have warm, cooked rice ready – you can serve this in ten minutes.  None of the ingredients are particularly exotic but it is GENUINELY spicy.  I like a lot of heat & this took it to my limit – so – if you are more timid in the spice department – cut the spicy things way back or drop them completely.  I used – as always – Beyond Meat brand vegan chicken because it is absolutely the best on the market.  It comes in 9 or 12 ounce packages.

10-Minute Spicy Vegan Sriracha Chicken & Broccoli Bowl

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 to 12 ounces vegan chicken – cubed

1 jalapeno – seeded & diced (optional)

Olive oil

1-5 dry red chilies – halved & seeded (VERY optional as these are VERY spicy – and if you use hem – do not chew & swallow them – but pick them out when you eat)

1/2 cup vegan hoisin sauce

1-2 TBS sriracha sauce

1-3 tsp crushed garlic (I used jarred)

1 TBS ginger (I used jarred)

Broccoli for 2 – fresh or frozen

Salted peanuts

Sliced scallions as garnish

Cooked rice for 2

DIRECTIONS

Cook the rice.  If you are using fresh broccoli – steam it a few minutes until it is done to your taste & set aside.  If using frozen – cook it according to directions & set aside

Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a pan.  Saute the jalapeno & red chili – if using them.  When the jalapeno is softens (a few minutes) – add the garlic & ginger & saute 1 minute.  Add the hoisin & sriracha and the chicken & heat the chicken through.

Assemble the bowls with the rice, broccoli & chicken & garnish with peanuts & scallions.

Vegan Spicy Orange & Sriracha Glazed Tofu with Pomegranate Seeds

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

I have done a zillion 90210 interviews recently – building up to the 25th anniversary of when the pilot aired.  Above are a few recent photos from a 90210-inspired shoot.

And here are two of the interviews – HERE at TEN MINUTE INTERVIEWS –

–

and HERE  at COMPLEX.

Tonight is the Lifetime movie about the show at after it – there will be an interview special – in which I took part.

That said – let’s get into this dish.  The glaze is the shit & would work on most things from shrimp to vegan or real chicken or, as here, on tofu.  I could not figure out what to do with the tofu first.  Should I bread & fry it?  I tried that & it just seemed like a bad thing to add all those calories.  So – after half-frying half the tofu – I baked it all at about 400 for thirty minutes – after coating it in some glaze – like you see below.

Ultimately – you could just throw the uncooked tofu into the glaze & warm it that way.  I feared the tofu would be too mushy & break apart and – since I didn’t try that version – I cannot tell you what happened.  So – it is up to you.   You could BAKE IT first, or FRY IT – or just use it plain.  Or – do what I did, coat it with glaze & just bake it a bit to add some texture.  Your call.  Whatever you decide – the glaze is easy & comes together fast.  If I were to make it again – I would cut the sugar in half.  If you like spicy-sweet, go with the full 1/4 cup of brown sugar.  It is pretty spicy – so if you are sensitive to heat – lessen the sriracha.

I added pomegranate seeds because I have a shitload left over from my AMAZING Burnt Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds & Cucumber – or Really Fancy Baba Ganoush – seen below – which was INSANELY addictive.  The seeds are pretty but don’t add much to the tofu dish so blow them off – if you feel inclined.  They are critical & amazing in the baba ganoush, though!

Vegan Spicy Orange & Sriracha Glazed Tofu with Pomegranate Seeds

Serves 2 – with rice or in lettuce wraps

INGREDIENTS

1 lb extra firm tofu – cubed

Panko (only if you are frying – in which case you need oil, too.)

1 cup orange juice

zest & juice of one orange

1/4 cup (or less) brown sugar

1/4 cup (more or less according to taste) sriracha

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

4 garlic cloves – chopped

1 TBS ginger – grated or minced

2 TBS cornstarch whisked into 2 TBS water

GARNISH – sliced scallions, pomegranate seeds and then cooked rice or lettuce leaves for serving

DIRECTIONS

OK – here you need to decide what you are doing with the tofu.  Are you just going right outta the package or fry it or – as I did – toss it with some panko & some (only a little) glaze & bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes?  I don’t think it makes a massive difference – except fr the effort and, in the instance of frying, the calories.  You could brown it in a frying pan with a little olive oil – to add texture.  Blow off the panko – really – unless you are frying it.  These are your decisions to make and that decision is the hardest part of this recipe.  If you are in a hurry or are lazy – just use the naked tofu.

Prep your tofu.  I tossed mine in a bit of glaze & baked at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Make some rice or prep some lettuce leaves for wraps.

To make the glaze – heat the orange juice, zest & juice of one orange, brown sugar, sriracha, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, garlic cloves and ginger and bring to a boil.  Add the cornstarch/water mix & the glaze should thicken up in less than a minute.  Add the tofu & heat through.

Serve either on rice or wrapped in lettuce with a sprinkle of scallions & pomegranate seeds.

Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

Follow @celisemccarthy

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

This is super easy – especially if you buy some of that pre-chopped slaw mix.  And why not?  Why buy two heads of cabbage & spend time chopping & then not use all the cabbage & have two half heads in the fridge – laying a guilt trip on you until they turn brown enough to warrant tossing them?   Who needs that shit?  Cabbage likes to pop all over the place, too, like cauliflower.  So – do yourself a favor and buy a bag of cole slaw mix.  Or not – your call.

This can be served as a side or as a burger topping or, as I did last night, put on top of tacos.  Creamy, yummy & cruelty-free.

Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw

Makes about 3 cups

INGREDIENTS

8 oz (3 cups) of chopped cabbage (I used a bagged slaw mix) & carrot shreds

1/8-1/2 cup sriracha – start small & add in increments until you reach your spice level

1/3 cup vegan mayo – (increase if you like wetter slaw)

2 TBS white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

2 TBS miso paste

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 TBS agave nectar

1/4 tsp salt

2 TBS chia seeds (optional but very good for you)

DIRECTIONS

I literally put everything in a tupperware container & just shook the bejesus out of it.  You can just stir it all up in a bowl.  Increase mayo or sriracha or salt to taste.

Chill & serve!

Pasta with Pulled Vegan Chicken & Jackfruit with Blackberry Jam-Sriracha BBQ Sauce

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

So, last week, I made Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker – seen above.  It was delicious but I made a fuckton of it & needed to find more creative ways to use it.  Here is the first of three ways I used the leftover pulled BBQ chicken – on pasta!  The only real recipe here is the actual pulled chicken & jackfruit.  Beyond that – it is your favorite pasta & favorite pasta sauce.  I used these curly noodles & Rao’s Arrabbiata – THE BEST sauce in a jar ever.

Pasta with Vegan Pulled Chicken & Jackfruit with Blackberry Jam-Sriracha BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

Cooked Pasta

Pasta sauce

Garnish – micro arugula, basil, red bell peppers diced

DIRECTIONS

Make the pasta.  Warm the sauce & warm the BBQ.

Distribute onto plates.

Eat.

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

Follow @celisemccarthy

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

That above is jackfruit.  It is a staple in Southeast Asian diets.  It is a giant fruit that grows to 100 pounds.  If you want to read more about it – I went into some detail in my Vegan Jackfruit Spicy Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles post.  Those are the noodles – below.

I bought this jackfruit in cans for $1.39 at my favorite Thai market – Bangluck – but I hear most Asian markets carry it.  Just be sure to buy UNRIPE or young jackfruit in water or brine.  Ripe jackfruit in syrup – it seems – tastes like Juicy Fruit gum & would be awful in this dish.

I made this in the slow cooker using a combination of jackfruit & Beyond Meat vegan chicken strips.

Both the jackfruit (above) & chicken will require that you shred it using two forks to achieve the pulled chicken visual.  It is easy once they are warmed & soft.  Just fish them out of the BBQ sauce & shred them on a cutting board.

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

This makes a lot but I will post 4 recipes using it over the next few days

INGREDIENTS

2 (20 oz) cans of young jackfruit

9 oz vegan chicken

4 garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBS cider vinegar

2 TBS Dijon mustard

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup blackberry (or other dark berry) jam or preserves

3 TBS sriracha

1 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 (12 oz) bottle of dark (or other) beer (optional)

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS chili powder

DIRECTIONS

Put everything in the slow cooker & leave on high for 5 hours.

At some point – you need to use two forks & shred the chicken & jackfruit.

Serve as you would serve any pulled chicken.

Spicy Vegan 24-hour Maple Rye Whiskey & Sriracha BBQ Beef & Beans

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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~

I have found that great northern beans take a lot longer to get tender than other beans, like black beans or black-eyed peas – so I like to cook them for days.  Literally.  That is not a necessity but long cooking times have their rewards.  My Vegetarian (Vegan) Crock Pot Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans for the Slow Cooker with Bourbon cooked for four days & still were more al dente than my boyfriend would tolerate.  But – he is a finicky eater & likes his things the way he likes them.  I found the beans to be perfect.

This recipe cooked for about 30 hours & I found the beans perfectly cooked.  Another important result of the long cooking time is is gives the beans a chance to absorb that rich brown color we have come to expect for barbecue beans.  Also – your house smells delicious.  You can used canned beans & do this stove-top (using far less of the fluid elements) but I really recommend giving this recipe a shot – using dry beans & cooking the bejesus outta them.

 I added Beyond Meat beefy crumbles to give the dish a more chili-like result and I like how it turned out.   I used beer & whiskey – you can leave these out if they do not appeal to you.  I used this Stubbs spicy BBQ but any brand you prefer will work.

Spicy Vegan 24-hour Maple Rye Whiskey & Sriracha BBQ Beef & Beans

feeds 10+ as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

1 lb dry white beans (soaked in water overnight or quick-soaked)

9 oz vegan beef crumbles

1 onion – diced

4 garlic cloves – chopped

3 jalapeno peppers – sliced (seeded to reduce heat) (less to reduce heat)

1/2 cup maple rye whiskey

1/4 cup sriracha (less to reduce heat)

1 12 oz bottle dark beer

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup BBQ sauce

3 TBS Dijon mustard

3/4 cup brown sugar

6 cups of vegetable stock (this might be more or less than you need – depending how long you cook your beans so add it in increments)

3 TBS Worcestershire Sauce (vegan version) – optional

DIRECTIONS

Put everything into a slow cooker & cook on high all day.  Leave it on WARM overnight & then crank it up again.  If it gets too thick – add water or veggie stock.  If it is too thin, take the lid off the cooker & let it boil down.

It is really that easy.  If you are using canned beans or do not intend to cook the beans 24+ hours – start with less stock & add incrementally, as you need it.  Easy peasy!

Sriracha Ginger Soy Sugar Snap Peas

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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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.

~

 

 

These are extremely easy & quick to make.  The hardest part is cutting each of the sugar snap peas in half.  Apparently, you can break the stem end of them & pull down on the string, like a zipper, and string these guys but that didn’t work on mine.  Maybe they were not fresh enough.  I don’t know.  But – if you want to string your beans – knock yourself out.  Mine were great without that step.

I used vegetarian hoisin sauce in these but if you cannot find that (or regular hoisin) – do not be discouraged.  These are awesome without that one ingredient, too.

This really makes just one serving so increase as needed to suit your head count.

 

Sriracha Ginger Soy Sugar Snap Peas

Serves ONE as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

8 oz fresh sugar snap peas – strung (see note above) and cut almost in half along the seam  (split them but not totally in half)

2 TBS soy sauce or tamari (I always use low sodium)

1 TBS sriracha

1 tsp sesame oil

1 TBS hoisin sauce (optional)

4 garlic cloves – cut in half or in thirds (you want big chunks so it doesn’t burn)

1 TBS minced fresh ginger (or 3-4 slices about the size of a quarter)

2 tsp olive oil

Sesame seeds – black and/or white as garnish

 

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil & hoisin sauce.  Set aside.

Prepare your sugar snap peas.

Have everything ready to go because these cook fast.

Heat a pan on HIGH HEAT for a minute & then add the olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the garlic & ginger (beware splatter).  Cook one minute & then add the sugar snap peas.  After about 2 minutes, add the sriracha mixture.  Cook on high – stirring continually so the garlic doesn’t burn –  until most of the dressing cooks off – maybe another minute.

Serve with sesame seeds.

Spicy Sriracha Vegetable Ramen with Homemade Noodles (Vegan or Vegetarian)

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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I have been wanting to make ramen noodles from scratch for a long time but, apparently, the recipe requires something called “kansui” – an alkaline mineral water that gives the noodles their yellow color & chewy texture.  I don’t have a Japanese market nearby but I found a recipe to make a version of it myself with just water & baking soda – so that is what I used.  I was not completely satisfied with the texture of the noodles (they were a bit gluey) and I am not certain why they came out that way.  Maybe I really needed kansui or maybe they didn’t rest, drying on my counter for long enough.  Maybe I overcooked them.  Maybe I should have made a recipe for the noodles that used egg.  I do not know.   What I do know is that I will try again.

The recipe below is really just for the spicy broth.  The vegetables you chose & quantity is entirely up to you.  And, obviously, if you are vegan – skip the egg.  🙂   If you like poached egg in your soup, try poaching them THIS way.  I did & it worked great. And you can even cool them for use up to 8 hours later.

Also – making the noodles is so not necessary.  Use packaged noodles (throw away the flavor packet), or spaghetti or soba or any kind of noodle.

Homemade Ramen Noodles

serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 275 degrees.  Put some baking soda (I used half a box so I would have more of this for future ramen efforts) into a pie dish & bake for one hour.

In a bowl (or in a bread machine), mix 2 tsp of the baked baking soda into the flour & salt.  Add the water & mix until a dough forms.  Once it is mostly together, use your hands to knead it a bit more.   Press flat & wrap in plastic wrap for an hour.

Using a pasta maker , roll the dough out flat & then into noodles.  This can be done by hand but, criminy, that would be a pain in the arse.  I used the awesome attachment you see below on my Kitchenaid mixer.

Lay out on a counter & toss lightly with rice or other flour & let dry an hour.

 

Spicy Sriracha Vegetable Ramen 

INGREDIENTS

3 TBS sriracha (more if you like it very spicy)

2 TBS sesame oil

2 tomatoes – chopped

1 onion – diced

1 TBS ginger – minced

6 garlic cloves – minced

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp celery salt

1 TBS soy sauce (or tamari)

6 cups vegetable stock

Vegetable ideas: edemame, corn, sliced mushrooms, snow peas, bok choy, carrots, zucchini, spinach, bamboo shoots, sliced onion, scallions, bean sprouts, peas, water chestnuts etc etc…

Garnish: cilantro, basil, poached egg, hard-boiled egg, tofu cubes, lime wedges, shredded nori or this mix of nori & sesame seeds below.

 

 

 

DIRECTIONS

Slice up your vegetables.  Boil water & blanch them by putting them in the boiling water for about a minute & then plunging them into cold water.  Drain & set aside.

Poach your eggs – if you are using them.   Plunge into cold water, drain & set aside.  Careful you don’t break them!

In a large stock pot, heat the sesame oil & the sriracha.  Do not get burned by splatter.

Add the onion & tomatoes & saute until soft.  Add the ginger, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt and saute another minute.

Add the soy sauce and one cup of the stock.   Stir it together.  Using an immersion or regular blender – puree this & return to the pan.  Add the rest of the stock & bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer until you are ready to assemble the ramen.

Cook the ramen noodles you are using according to the package.  Homemade ones are ready when they float to the top of the pot.  Drain & rinse under hot water.

Put some noodles into a bowl & ladle the broth on top.   Arrange some blanched vegetables on top & a poached egg (if using) & whatever garnish you opted for.

Mix it all up to heat the ingredients through & slurp it up!

Roasted Cauliflower Bites with Sriracha Ketchup & Doomie’s Home Cooking & Good Times at Davey Wayne’s

 

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

Follow @celisemccarthy

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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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Easy & yummy.  And nearly guiltless!!!

Roasted Cauliflower Bites

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower cut into small florets

S&P

1/4 cup olive oil  (more or less – depending on the size of the head of cauliflower)

DIRECTIONS

Toss the cauliflower in just enough oil to lightly coat all the florets & add some S&P.

Roast at 400 degrees for about an hour – turning 3 or 4 times in the process.

Serve with sriracha ketchup!  DEVOUR!

Sriracha Ketchup

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup ketchup

2 TBS sriracha (more or less – depending on your heat tolerance)

2 tsp lime juice

2 tsp chopped cilantro

1 tsp rice vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Mix that shit up!  Should last in the fridge a week or more.

OK – first of all – my book reading in Pasadena is THIS SUNDAY!  COME ON OUT!

Secondly – a vegan friend of mine, Ethan, was in town this week promoting veganism for the Humane League on the Warped tour.

I finally had a companion (or 5 – as he was traveling with 4 peers) to try out a place I have been DYING to try – Doomie’s Home Cooking!!!!  It is right in my hood & it is vegan but not healthy vegan.  It is greasy, comfort food at its best.  Check out the menu.

Impressed?  Me, too!  And as if this were not enough – Doomie’s has over 150 items on the “secret menu.”  Among them – a vegan BIG MAC!!!!

The kids Ethan was traveling with were quite aware of the secrets at Doomie’s and they ordered a Dinosaur Egg.  I am not quite sure what it is but here is what it looked like.

I think it involves something like mashed potatoes & cheese in a deep fried ball with gravy – but I am unclear.  One of them ordered the Big Mac – but with fried chicken instead of burgers.

The secret menu includes anything you want them to make from the ingredients they have on hand & every sandwich is available served between two grilled cheeses rather than just bread or a bun.  Ethan opted for some kinda fried chicken sandwich between two grilled cheeses.  Here it is & here he is trying to fit it in his mouth.

We all sampled the fried shrimp & they were VERY convincing!

I cannot recommend this place highly enough!!!!  I am taking the carnivorous Badass Miles Miller there when he visits in two weeks & I am going to convert that son-of-a-bitch to loving the fake meats as much as the cruelty-ridden real meat he subsists upon.

Zits popping out of our faces from grease consumption, we staggered back out into the sunlight – blinking away the brightness & weaving from sudden onset food comas.  And I thought!  OMG!  I have some people I can drag to another place I have been DYING to try – Good Times at Davey Wayne’s.  It, too, is right in my hood and – likely because they were to food-drunk to resist – my companions agreed to go there with me.

The entry is hidden in this little alley garage sale thing.

At first, I was later told by my vegan companions, that as I spoke to the doorman seated there, they feared I was stopping in the alley to buy drugs.  LOL!  Never fear!  I was just being carded.  Because behind that refrigerator door –

is Davey Wayne’s!  Pull the fridge door open & it isn’t condiments & produce you find.  No!  You find STAIRS!  That lead you into this 70’s awesomeness!

See the giant Jenga game in the outdoor area?  This place fucking rules!  We were there at the crack of broad-daylight-5pm – on a MONDAY – and there were like 20 or 30 people there.  Just enough so it felt populated but there was still tons of room & many seating options.

The bartenders were friendly (that matters) – and one mustachioed gent agreed to mix me up a Last Word cocktail by my directions – as he was unfamiliar with the drink.  Here is his:

I am a huge fan of this cocktail & it was one of the things I posted on DAY ONE of my blog’s life.  Here is my Last Word effort

And here is one from the Capital Bar & Grill in Little Rock.

The Last Word set me back $10 but that seemed fair to me & the whole experience was tremendous!!!  I very much recommend both Doomie’s and Davey Wayne’s to all!   Your cool factor will rise immensely.

 

 

Avocado & Jalapeno Quesadilla with Vegan Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

Follow @celisemccarthy

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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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Is a quesadilla REALLY a recipe?  Of course not.  But I made one yesterday & I photographed it & now I am going to share the details.

The only news here for me are these uncooked tortillas.

 

They really DO heat (in a dry pan) in sixty seconds and, for some reason, I feel way classier using them.  If you want go get crazy & make homemade tortillas – like the spinach ones I made in the photo below – the recipe is HERE.  They are really easy but they do take longer than sixty seconds.

 

 

Vegan Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce

Blend 1/3 cup vegan (or regular) mayo with 1-2 TBS sriracha.

Avocado & Jalapeno Quesadilla

INGREDIENTS

Tortillas – I used the uncooked ones but any kind will do

Cheese (vegan or otherwise) – I used a pizza blend of cheddar & mozzarella

Avocado – sliced

Jalapeno – seeded & diced

Tomato – diced

Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

If using the uncooked tortillas, cook them up until they JUST begin to brown – like you see above.  When those are ready – assemble the quesadilla in a grill or frying pan over med-high heat.  I stacked cheese & tomato & jalapeno & then avocado (I forgot to add the cilantro!), topped it with another tortilla & pressed it with the lid from another pan.  After a few minutes – maybe 2 – I flipped it.  When it was nicely browned on both sides – I sliced it up & drizzled it with the sriracha mayo & shoved it in my face like it was my first meal in weeks.  I then sat in a food coma for several hours.  It happens.  Don’t judge.