DDD #41 – Vegan Vietnamese Fresh Salad Rolls with Homemade Peanut Dipping Sauce

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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Vegan Vietnamese Fresh Salad Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 package clear edible rice spring roll sheets (Here on Amazon)

FILLING OPTIONS:

• 1 package vermicelli rice noodles, prepared according to package directions
• Tofu or other protein
• Basil – fresh (Thai sweet or hot basil is nice, too, if you can find it)
• Mint – fresh
• Cilantro – fresh
• Butter lettuce, washed and separated into leaves – ribs removed
• Carrots, peeled & cut into very thin matchsticks
• Cucumber, peeled and cut into very thin strips
• Avocado
• Purple cabbage
• Bell pepper strips
• Asparagus
• Mango
• Papaya
• Sprouts
• Micro greens

 Be sure you have the type of wrappers pictured below (or another brand) and not egg roll or wonton wrappers.  Those are an entirely different breed & need cooking.

Directions:

Prepare the noodles & vegetables in advance – being sure they are washed & dried.  Have a large bowl of warm water ready for dipping the spring roll wrappers.

• 1  Dip a sheet of spring roll wrapper into water very quickly, no longer than a second or two (or they will get too soggy) and lay flat on a work surface.
• 2  On one edge, lay a small handful of noodles, some basil & mint leaves, some pressed tofu, some cucumber & carrot strips, purple cabbage, avocado & some micro greens (or whatever fillings you are using) – being careful not to overstuff the wrapper.
• 3  Roll up burrito style, tucking in the sides, then continue to roll up-but not too tightly or the spring roll wrapper will tear.

You will, no doubt, need a few attempts to get one right. Be patient – it gets easier.  Be prepared to throw a bunch away or to settle for some funky shaped rolls!  They should be served fairly quickly after preparing them. Too much time in the fridge after assembly will dry them out. These can be filled with nearly anything so feel free to get creative!

You can BUY a spicy peanut sauce in a jar or can at most Asian markets or online (for example – http://www.lynmarket.com/proddetail.asp?prod=011152198903).  They are usually quite good, but, if you are feeling motivated –

Peanut Sauce Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of peanut butter – smooth or chunky
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 TBS low sodium soy sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/4 cup of water
• cilantro, crushed nuts or a swirl of sriracha for garnish

Directions

1. Combine
2. Garnish with a squeeze of sriracha or nuts or cilantro

Of not in the mood to make sauce – many options are available at the store.

DDD #31 – Sweet & Spicy Vegan Island Chicken with Pineapple

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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This is a very easy recipe & it is very flexible.  You can use the veggies that I did or sub in ones you prefer.  You could use jalapeno for a spicy dish or add brown sugar for a sweeter dish.  Click the image below for the recipe video & please subscribe to my channel.

Sweet & Spicy Vegan Island Chicken with Pineapple

INGREDIENTS

2 TBS coconut oil

9 oz vegan chicken

1 jalapeno – diced (optional)

1-2 cups dice fresh pineapple

1 red bell pepper – diced

1 cup carrots – chopped or grated

1-2 cups broccoli florets

3 garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBS soy sauce (or liquid aminos or tamari)

2 TBS sriracha

2 TBS ginger – minced

juice if 1/2 lime

2 TBS brown sugar (optional – I did not use it as I am not a fan of things too sweet)

Cornstarch

S&P

2 cups cooked rice OR tortillas (for tacos or wraps) OR lettuce leaves (for lettuce cups)

Garnish: cilantro or sesame seeds or sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

Thaw the chicken, cube it & toss with some cornstarch.  Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pan or wok.  Add the veggies (bell pepper, broccoli, jalapeno, carrots) & saute until soft.  Add the vegan chicken tossed in cornstarch. Add the soy sauce, sriracha, ginger & combine.  Add brown sugar (if using – I did not). Combine & then add pineapple.  Combine & then add rice (if doing a stir fry).  Stir in the garlic & squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lime.  Season with S&P to taste.  Heat through & serve (either with rice or as tacos, wraps or lettuce cups).  Garnish as you desire & devour!

Vegan Spicy Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups (Larb Gai – Laab Gai)

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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OK – now we are talking!  These are clean & light & perfectly suited to hot weather – both in the ease of preparation & the lack of anything too rich, dense or filling.  Another nice thing is that these guys come together in less than 20 minutes.  I think lemongrass is a traditional ingredient but I left it out – mainly because I know most people don’t have ready access to it.

As always, I used Beyond Meat’s chicken because it is, in my opinion, the best vegan chicken on the market.  If you click that link – you can find a store locator & maybe even a coupon!  I also used jarred ginger & garlic but fresh would, clearly, be even better.

You can make this as spicy (or not) as you like.  I tend to go heavy on spice so keep that in mind if heat is not your bag.  For my money – the most critical detail in this recipe is the mint – but basil will do in a pinch.

Vegan Spicy Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups (Larb Gai – Laab Gai)

Feeds 2

INGREDIENTS

Enough large lettuce leaves to make 6-8 individual cups/wraps

9 oz vegan chicken – thawed

1 TBS olive oil

1 jalapeno – seeded & minced

1/2 red bell pepper – slivered

1/2 red onion – diced

1 TBS ginger

1 TBS garlic

4+ TBS soy sauce or tamari

2 TBS brown sugar

1-3 TBS sriracha (according to your taste for heat)

1 TBS peanut butter (optional)

Cilantro

Fresh mint (or basil) – but really try it with mint – the mint is SO GOOD!

Lime wedges

GARNISHES (use as many or as few as you like)

Carrot – cut into matchsticks

Cucumber – cut into matchsticks

Red cabbage – slivered

Chopped peanuts

Scallions

Avocado (I show avocado in these photos but I did not add it to the wraps – though you might like to)

DIRECTIONS

Set two plates with the lettuce cups on them.

In a food processor, pulse the chicken together with the jalapeno, half the onion & half the red bell pepper until it looks like pulled chicken or ground chicken (depending on the brand you are using) – or chop it all very fine, by hand)

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan & cook the remaining red onion & bell pepper for a few minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, peanut butter & sriracha & blend until the sugar dissolves.  Add the chicken & heat through.  Tweak the seasonings & divide the chicken between the lettuce cups.  Top with cilantro and MINT (!) & serve with lime wedges & any other garnishes you opted to use.

Serve!

Vegan Chicken & Kim Chee (Kimchi) Wrap with Fresh and Easy Cantaloupe & Mango Salsa

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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I recently stepped up to a cooking challenge that called for a dish using the following ingredients:

Any Beyond Meat product

Kim chee

Cantaloupe

Radishes

Lettuce

Tomato

So – I made kim chee & chicken wraps with this cantaloupe-mango salsa.  The salsa recipe is HERE.

The rest is crazy easy.  I bought packaged kim chee even though every site I have ever seen says NEVER DO THAT!  They say either 1) make it or 2) get some fresh stuff at a Korean market or restaurant.  Here is the kim chee I used:

I used Beyond Meat chicken strips at room temperature.  One of the finer qualities of this brand of vegan chicken – that it stands up – naked & raw.   The kim chee should be room temperature, too.

Vegan Chicken & Kim Chee (Kimchi) Wrap with Fresh and Easy Cantaloupe & Mango Salsa

Amounts depend on taste & how many you are feeding

INGREDIENTS

Beyond Meat chicken – thawed

THE BEST Kimchi you can get your hands on

Lettuce

Frisee (optional)

Tomato – chopped

Cilantro

Flour tortillas or other wrap

Garnish – Cantaloupe & Mango salsa

DIRECTIONS

Layer the ingredients & wrap that shit up.

Serve with salsa.

Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Paste (Toum) & Tzatziki Sauce (Vegan or Vegetarian)

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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OK!  There are not a lot of foods I really miss since I gave up meat 25 years ago but gyros & shawarma are two things definitely on the “miss list.”

I used Beyond Meat vegan chicken & I recommend it very highly – though you can use another brand or even real dead chicken (if you have a taste for hormones & cruelty).  At any rate – whatever you use – the longer you marinate if for the better – overnight being optimal.

I made the garlic paste (or a version of it) that they serve at Zankou chicken, here in LA.  It is a bright, white paste that has a bit of a gritty texture & seems to be just mashed garlic.  I was HORRIFIED to discover – it does have a lot of garlic but it has even more OIL!  It is basically an aioli.  Or a mayonnaise.  Damn.  So – it is not a guiltless pleasure but you don’t need tons before you run the risk of setting things ablaze just by breathing your garlic shit storm on them – so do not sweat the calories too much.

I used real yogurt in my tzatziki but they DO make vegan yogurts so – if you are vegan – just use one of those.

There are a lot of ingredients in the chicken marinade but only the cardamom is remotely exotic & you probably already have most of them in your cabinets – so do not be intimidated.  If you do not have or cannot find ground cardamom – never fear!  Substitutes: equal parts ground nutmeg and cinnamon OR equal parts ground cloves and cinnamon OR nutmeg OR cinnamon

Garlic Paste (Toum)

This makes quite a bit but it should keep in the fridge for a few weeks.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 small potato (I used a Yukon Gold) – boiled until soft & cooled

1 full cup garlic cloves (peel fresh ones & do not use the pre-peeled cloves as they have been frozen & are not as flavorful)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups grapeseed oil (or sunflower oil)

DIRECTIONS

In your food processor, pulse the garlic, potato, lemon juice & salt until they are pureed.  You might need to scrape the sides of the bowl down a few times.  Then, VERY SLOWLY drizzle the oil in as the pureed is being spun about.  Do this in a very slow & steady stream.  Lots of recipes suggested it should take ten minutes.  I got it done in under five but if you add the oil too fast – it will not emulsify properly.  Check it as you go & if it begins to separate – stop adding oil & keep processing it until it comes together again.

That’s it!  You MIGHT want to experiment with an increased quantity of potato & a lesser quantity of oil.   I think I will the next time.

Tzatziki 

Makes about 1.5 cups

INGREDIENTS

6 oz yogurt (vegan or not – your call) – I used thick Greek Fage.

1 TBS lemon juice

1 garlic clove – minced

1/4 – 1/3  cucumber – peeled & diced

pinch of salt

1 tsp or more fresh dill – chopped

DIRECTIONS

Mix that shit up!  Add water if you think it is too thick – but not a lot.

Done!

Vegan Chicken Shawarma

Serves 2 or 3

INGREDIENTS

Pita bread or wraps or tortillas or naan

9 oz vegan chicken

4 garlic cloves – minced

1 TBS smoked paprika (or regular)

1 TBS ground cumin

1 TBS ground cardamom (or substitute from the note above)

1 TBS chili powder

1 TBS ground coriander

1 tsp pepper

Olive oil

juice & zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup yogurt (optional)

Garnish ideas: sliced red onion, sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, parsley, cucumber slices

DIRECTIONS

Mix the spices in a large glass container with the vinegar, lemon juice & zest, 2 TBS olive oil & yogurt (if using).   This is pretty thick stuff.  Feel free to thin it with water if you like.  Add the chicken & marinate it for at least an hour or overnight.  Try not to use a plastic container as it could get stained or left stinky from the spices.

When you are ready to eat – heat a little olive oil in a pan & heat the chicken.  Allow the marinade to come away as you likely won’t want as much in the actual sandwich.  When it is warm, assemble the wrap.  Slather some garlic paste on the bread & layer the ingredients on top.  Add some tzatziki & chow the fuck down!

Vegan Chicken Salad Wraps

 

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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Yeah, kids!  That’s my book!  Read the REVIEWS!  Pretty flattering!  Why not read it yourself?

And now – more amazing vegan fare!  I was never a big fan of real chicken salad but man – I loved this stuff!  Honestly – try it on a friend without telling them it is vegan.  I bet they never notice!  Easy, clean & cool.  Good for on top of a salad or wrapped in a tortilla or some butter lettuce.  Yummy & guiltless – and cruelty-free!   And know – almost all animal products involve suffering for some animal.  Even the cheeses & butter I use.  Hence my tapering off them.  And if you want to see some cows, literally jumping for joy – watch this video!  Then print the coupon I shared below – multiple times – and fleece your local for a free package every time you shop there.  I do!

 

 

VEGAN CHICKEN SALAD

Serves 2 in wraps

INGREDIENTS

9 oz vegan chicken

2 celery stalks – diced small

1/4 red bell pepper – diced small

1/8 red onion – diced small

1/4 cup vegan mayo

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Stone Ground mustard (or 2 tsp of whatever nice mustard you have)

Parsley – minced

S&P

Lettuce

Tortillas

DIRECTIONS

I didn’t even let the frozen chicken thaw.  I just cut it into cubes and, by the time everything else came together, it was perfectly thawed.

Cube the chicken & prepare the other veggies.

Mix all the ingredients up.

S&P to taste.  And that is it, kiddies!  Now – either eat it from the bowl or wrapped in lettuce or a tortilla or other wrapping device.  Then, shove this badass shit in your face & head out onto the town looking for chickens you can stare down with your guilt-free conscience & your chicken-free breath.  Then go home & love yourself a little.  Even in a dirty way – if the mood strikes you.  You’ve earned it!

 

Vegan Cauliflower, Potato & Chickpea Wrap (or Rice Bowl) with Lentil Hummus

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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Do not be intimidated by the list of ingredients.  If you look closely, you will see that most are just spices and things you probably already have around.  This is simple to throw together.  You can use this curry in a wrap or over rice.  I like a heavy amount of spice in my curries so I am going to put a range with the spices in this recipe.  You can start lighter & add more if you feel it needs it.  In every case – I went with the higher quantity.

As a note – you can make chickpeas from dry beans and lentils & even rice and, once cooked, put small quantities (measure one cup or two per bag) into sandwich baggies & fill them just enough that they can be closed & still be flat – as if a sandwich were in there.  Mark the bag with the quantity inside & then freeze them for later use.  You can do this with leftovers, too.

Vegan Cauliflower, Potato & Chickpea Wrap (or Rice Bowl) with Lentil Hummus

INGREDIENTS

Tortillas or wraps of your choice OR cooked rice of your choice

1 TBS olive oil

1 cup cooked chickpeas

2 cups potatoes – cubed

2 cups cauliflower – cut into small florets

1/2 cup peas

1 jalapeno – seeded & diced

2-4 garlic cloves – chopped

1 TBS ginger – minced

2 TBS grapeseed or canola oil (or olive oil)

1/2 – 1 TBS cumin seeds

1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric

1/2 – 1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 – 1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 – 1 tsp chili powder or cayenne

1/2 – 1 tsp salt

cilantro – chopped

some red onion – diced

sriracha

for the lentil hummus

1 cup cooked lentils

10 cherry tomatoes – quartered (or similar amount of other tomato)

1/2 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp each: salt, cayenne, ground cumin, garlic powder

1 tsp sriracha

DIRECTIONS

for the lentil hummus

Heat the oil in a pan.  Add the other ingredients.  Heat through & mash with a wooden spoon.  Set aside.

for the Vegan Cauliflower, Potato & Chickpea Curry

Chop all the vegetables so they are ready to go.

Heat the oil over medium heat.  When hot, add the cumin seeds & heat until they begin to pop.  Add garlic, ginger & jalapeno & cook for about a minute.  Add the potatoes & cook, covered, for two minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, and chili powder into 1/2 – 1/3 cup water.

Add the cauliflower, chickpeas, peas & spice water to the potatoes and stir to blend.  Reduce heat to med-low.  Cover & simmer for 10-15 minutes – being careful not to burn the vegetables.

Now – simply dish this out over some rice & garnish with cilantro, red onion & sriracha.

Or – spread some hummus on a wrap.  Top with onion & cilantro & some curry.  Add sriracha, if you like.  Roll that fucker up & eat it with abandon!  Then, feeling all awesome & vegan & badass – go onto Amazon.com & buy my book!  Read the reviews!  Men & women both seem to love it!

Lavash Wrap with Arugula, Avocado & Whipped Feta

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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This isn’t really a recipe.  It is just a delicious & REALLY light lunch idea.  Not quite as light as THIS recent lunch of mine

…yeah.  That’s right.   A tofu dog & a mustard dip.  I live large.  Don’t hate.

But I loved this silly wrap & you might, too.  I also love when dogs sit “sloppy” – like this:

I also love that I can shop for gourmet (a generous adjective, perhaps) food items at TJ Maxx.  Look at what I scored there yesterday.

It is way cheaper to buy nice olive oil there.  And I got a few flavored oils, too!  And I got a new cookie sheet (under all the items) to replace this thing – which I am embarrassed to own.

Here is something I do NOT like.

How is that OK?  REALLY drives home why I do not eat meat.  So fucking nasty.

Anyway – on to the wrap.  This isn’t really a recipe & you can wrap lavash around whatever you want – even chunks of some poor pig who can watch you while you do it.  I went pretty clean, though, and opted for undressed arugula, tomato, avocado & whipped feta.  It was delicious!  Other ideas for such a wrap is to smear your lavash with cilantro pesto, or collard green pesto, Swiss chard pesto, broccoli & goat cheese pesto, broccoli rabe & pistachio pesto, dill & lemon & almond pesto, spinach pecan pesto, spinach & kale pesto, kale pesto, pea pesto or evenspinach & pea pesto.  I make a LOT of pesto!  Jeez.

PS – Whipped feta is made by simply blending 8 oz of feta with 3 oz cream cheese & just enough water to get them to blend in your food processor or other tool you use to whip things.

Collard Green Burrito Wrap with Hoppin’ John Leftovers

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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These guys are awesome!!!  Sure – I filled mine with even MORE leftover Hoppin’ John – but these could be made with any filling – warm or cold – that you prefer.  Maybe ground beef & rice or a chopped salad or beans & cheese.  Anything goes.  Stuff them with anything you would put in a burrito or a cold wrap or something with which you would stuff cabbage or bell peppers.  Top them with a red sauce and cheese or a meat sauce or dip them in a dressing or aioli.  These wraps are perfect for those not wanting the gluten or calories of a traditional wrap.  The collard greens are pretty substantial, too, and really stand up to some manhandling.  There is really no formal recipe to post.  The ones pictured here were stuffed with a blend of 3 cups of Hoppin’ John & 2 cups of cooked white rice.  I had more stuffing that the eight wraps I had required.  I then topped it with the heirloom tomato & avocado salsa of my Hoppin’ John Fritters post.

All you need to do is get some collard greens & cut the spine out.  Then immerse them in boiling water for about a minute, then plunge them into cold water.

Take each leaf, cut it in half, overlap the sides, place a bit of filling on top, tuck the sides in & roll – continuing to tuck the sides.  In the case of a cold wrap – you are done.  Mine required heat so I put them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Eggy-Weggy Breakfast Pizza Roll-Up or Wrap

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2012

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I’m not a big breakfast food person but sometimes, especially during the holidays, I like an excuse to crack a bottle of champagne too early & swill it down with some brunch fare.  I will not post a formal recipe with this one because it is endlessly customizable.  The nice thing about this pizza wrap over other wraps is that the pizza crust gets crispy & holds its shape where tortillas and such would not.  It sliced up easily & held together nicely & each slice could be eaten cookie-style.  Fill this with whatever you might put in an omelette – vegetables, cheeses, meats – your call.  I used a ball of PIZZA DOUGH about the size of a pool ball & rolled it out pretty thin.

I sauteed some veggie sausage in olive oil with garlic.

I scrambled two eggs & added some of the veggie sausage & grated mozzarella & cheddar.

I left it a tad undercooked because the eggs would cook further in the oven.

I put the eggs, more cheese & some pico de gallo onto the rolled out pizza dough.

I rolled that bad boy up (it tore a bit but that isn’t an issue) – and put it on a greased cooking sheet.

I baked this at about 450 for about 10 minutes.

The split in the back leaked only a tiny bit.

I sliced it up & ate it up.  With champagne, of course!  Try it!  These are fun!