DDD #104 – Vegan Burnt Sugar Salted Caramel Sauce

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2018

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Vegan Burnt Sugar Salted Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white sugar

3 oz vegan butter

5.6 oz full fat coconut milk or vegan heavy cream

Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

Over med-low heat, heat the sugar – whisking constantly so it does not burn.  It will start to clump up then eventually melt & start to brown.  Whisk in the butter until it melts then add the milk.  Boil a bit until it thickens.  Add the salt & remove from heat.  Allow to cool.  Store in the fridge.  It should be good for several weeks.

DDD #55 – Vegan Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Candied Walnuts

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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These are so easy & so delicious – I bet even folks that hate Brussels sprouts will like them.  Sweet & salty & crunchy & warm & soft.  They are ready in 15 minutes.  YUM!

Vegan Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Candied Walnuts

Serves 4 as a side

INGREDIENTS

for the spicy candied walnuts

1 cup walnut pieces

1/4 cup white sugar

1 TBS vegan butter

1 tsp (or more) cayenne

for the caramelized Brussels sprouts

2 dozen small Brussels sprouts (6 cups or so)

2 garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBS olive oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

for the spicy candied walnuts

Heat everything in a pan for 3-5 minutes – stirring constantly being really careful not to burn the sugar.  When it is thick & gooey & fragrant – put the nuts on a piece of parchment paper & – using a fork so you do not burn yourself – separate the nuts so they do not clump together.

for the caramelized Brussels sprouts

Either slice the sprouts in a food processor or slice them very thin so you are left with mainly ribbons.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the sugar & stir.  Add the sprouts & saute until soft – maybe 5 minutes.  Taste to see if maybe you need another generous pinch of sugar.  When a minute from being ready – add the garlic & saute another minute.  Season with salt & pepper.

Serve with the candied walnuts on top.

See?  Crazy easy!

 

DDD # 44 – Vegan Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Brown Sugar Tofu & Chili Oil

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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Vegan Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Brown Sugar Tofu & Chili Oil

Serves 2 very well

INGREDIENTS

for the chili oil

1/2 cup oil

3 star anise pods

1-2 TBS chopped fresh ginger

2 TBS crushed red pepper

2-4 garlic cloves – minced

3 scallions – chopped

for the dressing

2 TBS sesame oil

2 TBS rice vinegar

2 TBS low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos or tamari

2 TBS brown sugar

for the soba salad

7 oz soba noodles – cooked & drained

1/2 – 1 pound tofu (I used pressed tofu)

2 TBS brown sugar

1/2 tsp S&P

1 TBS sesame oil

Mixed chopped vegetables.  I used:

1/2 cucumber

4 radishes

1/4 red bell pepper

1 cup purple cabbage

2 scallions

(you could use edamame, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, green beans or whatever you like)

Cilantro

Sesame seeds

Lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

Cook the noodles & set aside.

Whisk the dressing together & set aside.

Heat the oil for the chili oil in a pan.  Add the star anise & crushed red pepper.   Add the ginger & scallions.  When the scallions are soft & just starting to brown – add the garlic & heat for one minute.  Put the oil in a storage container to cool.  You won’t need all the oil for this recipe & the leftover should keep in the fridge for several days.

Heat 1 TBS sesame oil.  Add the brown sugar & salt & pepper.  Add the tofu & heat until the sugar caramelizes onto the tofu.  Set aside.

In a bowl – toss the noodles with the tofu & veggies.  Add some dressing (not all of it) and a drizzle of the chili oil.  Start very light with both the dressing & the chili oil & add more to taste.

Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro & serve with lime wedges.

 

DDD #39 – 5-Minute Burnt Brown Sugar Chicken Fingers

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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Ok – these things were so delicious – I was almost unable to keep from eating them all as I photographed them.  They take 5 minutes and can be eaten as is or packed into a sandwich or taco.  They would go really well with my Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw, seen above.

As always, I used Beyond Meat brand chicken because it is, quite simply, the best on the market.  Click that link to use their store locator & get a coupon.

These could be baked but I think that really only works for real chicken as the grease in the chicken would keep it moist.  Faux chicken, like I used here, I think, is better served stove-top & it is faster & easier that way, anyway.  These suckers are REALLY good – I promise!

5-Minute Vegan Burnt Brown Sugar Chicken Fingers

Feeds 1 or 2 – depending on appetite

INGREDIENTS

1 9oz bag of vegan chicken strips – thawed

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS brown sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

1-2 TBS agave nectar

S&P

DIRECTIONS

If you have a nonstick pan – use it.  Burnt sugar is a pain to clean.  If you don’t have one – maybe up the olive oil a tad.

Mix all the ingredients (except the chicken) – reserving 1 TBS agave nectar – in a bowl.  Put the mixture in the bag with the chicken & mush it all around until all the strips are covered.

Again – use either a nonstick pan or a pan greased with some olive oil & cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, until the sugar just begins to blacken.  Toss with another TBS agave nectar to moisten things up a bit & serve!

10-Ingredient Vegan Spicy Chinese Barbecue Chicken with Broccoli & Sugar Snap Peas

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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This is as easy as a dish can be!  It took me less time to make the chicken & broccoli than it did to make the rice.  Easy, delicious & as spicy (or not) as you please.  Ok – I list 11 ingredients but I only used snap peas because I had them.  Use them, lose them, substitute them with something else.  Your call.

Vegan Spicy Chinese Barbecue Chicken with Broccoli & Sugar Snap Peas

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 (or more) ounces vegan chicken (I adore Beyond Meat brand) – cubed

Broccoli for two – cut into florets (amount is up to you & your love of broccoli)

Sugar snap peas (optional) – as many or as few as you please

1-2 jalapenos (red or green) – diced (optional & up to your tolerance for heat)

1 scallion – sliced (green & white parts)

1 TBS olive or coconut or other cooking oil

for the sauce (double this sauce recipe if you like a lot of sauce or want extra sauce for some rice)

1/4 cup vegan hoisin sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce (or liquid aminos or tamari)

1 TBS chili paste (sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce)

1 tsp fresh minced ginger (I used bottled)

2 TBS dark berry jam (I used Marionberry jam but blueberry, blackberry or raspberry would work.  Orange might be nice, too!)

GARNISH: warm cooked rice, sesame seeds, sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

Make rice or whatever grain you like.

Heat the oil & saute the jalapenos & scallion slices for a minute or two.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients & the chicken.  Heat for a few minutes until the chicken is warmed & the sauce thickens a bit.  Lower heat & set aside.

Boil water & blanch the broccoli & peas (if using) for 5 minutes then drain.   You can either add the broccoli to the chicken & sauce or simply serve it beside the chicken.

Plate with some rice & garnish with sesame seeds & scallion slices.

5-Minute Vegan Burnt Brown Sugar Chicken Fingers

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.

Ok – these things were so delicious – I was almost unable to keep from eating them all as I photographed them.  They take 5 minutes and can be eaten as is or packed into a sandwich or taco.  They would go really well with my Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw, seen above.

As always, I used Beyond Meat brand chicken because it is, quite simply, the best on the market.  Click that link to use their store locator & get a coupon.

These could be baked but I think that really only works for real chicken as the grease in the chicken would keep it moist.  Faux chicken, like I used here, I think, is better served stove-top & it is faster & easier that way, anyway.  These suckers are REALLY good – I promise!

5-Minute Vegan Burnt Brown Sugar Chicken Fingers

Feeds 1 or 2 – depending on appetite

INGREDIENTS

1 9oz bag of vegan chicken strips – thawed

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS brown sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

1-2 TBS agave nectar

S&P

DIRECTIONS

If you have a nonstick pan – use it.  Burnt sugar is a pain to clean.  If you don’t have one – maybe up the olive oil a tad.

Mix all the ingredients (except the chicken) – reserving 1 TBS agave nectar – in a bowl.  Put the mixture in the bag with the chicken & mush it all around until all the strips are covered.

Again – use either a nonstick pan or a pan greased with some olive oil & cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, until the sugar just begins to blacken.  Toss with another TBS agave nectar to moisten things up a bit & serve!

5-Minute Garlic, Salt & Pepper Sugar Snap Peas

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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The name of this recipe says it all.  Fast, easy & yummy!

5-Minute Garlic, Salt & Pepper Sugar Snap Peas

Serves 2 as a side

INGREDIENTS

10 oz fresh sugar snap peas (the ones in the bag in the produce section already have the string removed.  If you can find these – learn how to remove the string HERE)

Olive oil –  1or 2 TBS

Salt – to taste – I used maybe a scant teaspoon

Pepper – to taste – I used a heaping tablespoon but I am a NUT for pepper

Garlic to taste – I used about 6 cloves & chopped them sorta chunky

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a pan over med-high heat.  Add the sugar snap peas.  Stir & heat for 2-4 minutes – or until they are nearly done to your liking.  Add the S&P & the garlic & saute another minute or so – just until the garlic browns a bit.  Be careful not to burn the garlic because it will taste bitter.

Season with more S&P – if you think it needs it & serve!

Sriracha Ginger Soy Sugar Snap Peas

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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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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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.