Dial V for Vegan

Creamy Baked Artichoke Dip

2006-10-30T13:32:00.000-06:00

This dip is quick & easy. It's great for potlucks & last minute parties. I like this dip on the spicy side, so adjust the seasonings to your taste. Serve this dip with your favorite crackers or toasted bread.

1 container non-hydrogenated Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1 cup Veganaise or other vegan mayo
24 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast + more for topping
1 tbsp lemon juice

Spices
Adjust to your taste.
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp thyme
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

9 x 12 baking pan

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. When combined, do a taste test and adjust your spices. Evenly spread dip in a 9 x 12 baking pan and sprinkle the top with nutritional yeast and thyme. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown and look crispy around the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

JK's Veggie Lasagna

2006-10-13T11:44:00.000-05:00

I come from an Italian family - and we, like most families, love to get together and eat. Being the only vegan out of the bunch, I found myself faced with the challenge of making something that would please the masses. I started making this lasagna for Thanksgiving a few years back and it has since become a family favorite. You can also use the same filling mixture to make stuffed shells or manicotti. Even the carnivores in your family will love this one.

Filling
1 block extra firm Chinese-style tofu, drained
1 container Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (buy the non-hydrogenated kind!)
1 cup broccoli, diced
1 cup cauliflower, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast + more for topping
2 tbsp lemon juice

Spices
All of these can be adjusted to your taste.
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp mustard seed

1 package 'no-boil' lasagna pasta
2 jars of your favorite tomato basil marinara sauce (I use Newman's Own)
9 x 12 baking pan

Preheat oven to 375º F. Place your block of tofu between a few paper towels and squeeze out any remaining liquid (you can squeeze pretty hard because you're going to mash it up anyway). Place tofu in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork. Add the Tofutti Cream Cheese and mix thoroughly. Add broccoli, cauliflower, yellow onion, red bell pepper, garlic, nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Mix until evenly combined. Place all of your spices in a mortar & pestle and grind them together. If you don't have a M&P, just use a small bowl and the handle of a wooden spoon to grind them up. Add spice mixture to the filling and mix well. Cover the bottom of your 9 x 12 pan with marinara. Add a layer of noodles and cover them with marinara. Spread 1/3 of the filling mix on top of the noodles, cover with sauce and another layer of noodles. Before you cover the next two layers of noodles with sauce, press them down a little. Repeat these steps until all of the filling is used. Top the last layer of filling with noodles and all remaining sauce. Sprinkle this with some additional oregano, thyme, black pepper and nutritional yeast. Cover with tin foil and place in preheated over for 50 minutes. Take lasagna out of the oven and remove the tin foil. Return lasagna to oven for another 5 minutes uncovered to crisp up the top. Let lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Makes lots of servings and is even better the next day!

Potato Onion Pierogis

2006-10-12T14:37:00.000-05:00

These are rather time consuming, but worth all of the effort. Any left over pierogis can be frozen for later use.

Dough
1 1/4 lbs unbleached white flour
1/4 lb Tofutti cream cheese
Egg replacer equal to 1 egg (I used Ener-g)
pinch of salt
1 cup warm water

Filling
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, boiled with the skins on
1 white onion, chopped and sauteed in oil
1/4 lb Tofutti cream cheese
1 tsp paprika (more/less to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder (more/less to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (more/less to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (more/less to taste)
1 tbsp vegan butter

Other Ingredients
Small bowl of warm water
More vegan butter for frying
1 onion, chopped
Tofutti sour cream

In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, cream cheese, egg replacer, salt and water together until combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and even. Return dough to bowl, set aside.
Place the cooked potatoes (with skins still on) into another large mixing bowl and mash until smooth. Add sauteed onions, cream cheese, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and butter. Mix until well combined, taste, adjust spices to your liking. Set aside.
Remove dough from bowl. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until the dough is approximately 1/8 in. thick. Cut dough into approx. 3 1/2 in. round shapes with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Add a small amount of the potato filling to the center of the dough circle. Fold in half, forming a half-moon shape. Seal dough tightly with a little bit of water and pinch closed with a fork. Bring a large stock pot of water to a rapid boil. Boil pierogis rapidly for 5 minutes or until they float, stirring occasionally so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Drain and allow to cool.
Melt vegan butter in a large saute pan, add chopped onion and cook until browned. Add the pierogis and saute until slightly crisp and golden on both sides. Enjoy with a side of Toffuti Sour Cream!

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

2006-10-12T14:34:00.000-05:00

Wow! Yep, that's all that I need to say about these. Woweeeewowowowow!

Dough
3/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup Soy Garden or other vegan margarine , softened
3 1/4 cup flour
1/4 oz. package of instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp cornstarch

Filling
1 cup brown sugar, sifted & packed
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 cup Soy Garden or other vegan margarine, softened

Glaze
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
4 tbsp soy milk

Warm the soy milk in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally until it bubbles (do not bring to a full boil). Remove from heat and add margarine, stirring until melted. Set aside and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
In a large ceramic mixing bowl, sift together 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add water, cornstarch, and the soy milk/margarine mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When fully combined, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes). Return dough to mixing bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
While dough is resting, make the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla paste and softened margarine in a small bowl until smooth.
Roll the dough out into a 12 x 9 inch rectangle on a sheet of floured parchment paper. Spread dough with filling, taking care to leave at least an inch at the top, so the dough can be sealed later. Roll up the dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into approx. 12 equal size rolls. Divide between 2 lightly greased round cake pans, remember to leave a little space between each bun. Cover with a damp cloth and let the buns rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 375º F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow the buns to cool and then make the glaze by combining the maple syrup, vanilla paste, powdered sugar and soy milk in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Drizzle glaze over buns. Serve warm.
Makes 12 servings.

Pumpkin Potato Soup

2006-10-12T14:29:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite recipes. It gives me the warm fuzzies.

1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Soy Garden or other vegan butter
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 medium pumpkin (around 1 1/2 pounds), with seeds removed and cut into large chunks
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut into large chunks (note: cut the potatoes & pumpkin into similar sized chunks so they cook evenly)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp nutmeg
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 can of regular coconut milk (don't get the light stuff!)
3/4 cup soy milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
1-3 tbsp raw flax seeds

Heat the oil, butter and onion over a low heat in a large stock pot until the onions become soft, but not brown (about 5 minutes). Add the pumpkin and potatoes. Stir well and then cover. Stirring occasionally, simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin and potatoes become slightly tender. Uncover and mix in the stock, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked and tender. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer soup mixture into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour mixture back into stock pot and add the lemon juice, coconut milk and soy milk. Add extra salt and pepper to taste. Heat until hot, but not boiling. Garnish with a spoonful of flax seeds and serve with toasted sourdough bread.
Makes 8 - 10 servings

Coconut, Cardamom & Almond Muffins with a Coconut Glaze

2006-10-12T14:18:00.000-05:00

Mmmmmmmmmuffins!

1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 1/4 cup toasted & shredded coconut
1/2 cup dry sweetener
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
flax egg replacer for 2 eggs (4 tbsp ground flax seed + 6 tbsp water, processed in a blender until thick & smooth)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cardamom pods - remove the seeds from the pods and crush with the back of a spoon or grind in a blender/food processor
1/3 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped
Whole flax seeds for topping

Preheat oven to 400º F. Lightly grease a large muffin tin and place on top of the oven while its warming so the pan warms a bit. In a large bowl, sift flour, coconut, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in coconut milk, egg replacer, olive oil, vanilla, cardamom and almonds until just mixed. Spoon mixture into oiled muffin tin, top with flax seeds and bake for 15 - 20 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 6 large muffins. Allow the muffins to cool for 10 mins before removing them from tin and let them cool completely on a wire rack before topping with coconut glaze. Make the glaze when the muffins are completely cool so you can use it immediately.

Coconut Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients until completely smooth and drizzle over cooled muffins.

Pears Poached in Sauternes with Chocolate Sauce

2006-10-12T14:08:00.000-05:00

Simple and delicious! This one is guaranteed to please.
Sauternes is a light, sweet dessert wine that doesn't have that "syrupy" taste that some dessert wines can have. I've found it for about $15 at Trader Joe's. A little pricey, but definitely worth it!

4 ripe Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled
2 cups Sauternes or other sweet dessert wine
Peel from 1/2 lemon (be sure to only use the yellow peel, because the white rind will add a bitter taste)
4 whole cloves
4 ounces semisweet vegan chocolate chips
Vanilla soy ice cream

Use a paring knife or a melon baller to scoop out the seeds and core from the bottom of the pears, leaving them whole. Pour the wine into a nonreactive saucepan (stainless steel, glass or ceramic) that is large enough to hold the pears in a single layer. Add the lemon peel and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low and add the pears. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pears are tender, making sure to turn the pears occasionally for even cooking. When pears are tender, remove from saucepan and keep them warm. Return remaining liquid to a boil until the wine has reduced to 1/2 cup and has a syrupy consistency and light golden color. Remove saucepan from heat and remove cloves & lemon peel. Add chocolate and stir with a spatula to combine until smooth. Place each pear on a dessert plate, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and spoon chocolate sauce over and around the pear and ice cream.
Makes 4 servings.

Jerk Tofu with Jamaican Rice & Beans

2006-10-12T14:02:00.000-05:00

It's best to prepare the jerk marinade first, so that the tofu can marinate while the rice & beans are cooking. Scotch bonnet & habanero chiles are extremely hot, so adjust to your own taste. I would also recommend wearing latex gloves to protect your fingers when handling the Scotch bonnets. The rice & beans are a nice, mild compliment to the heat of the jerk tofu. There is no need to soak the kidney beans before cooking.

Jerk Tofu
2 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
8 scallions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with the flat side of a large knife
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp ground allspice
1 tbsp sea salt
1 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup Braggs or soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for frying
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
30 oz extra firm tofu, drained, patted dry with paper towels and cut into large, thick slices

Process chiles, onion, scallions, garlic and thyme in a food processor until mixture forms a coarse paste. Add the brown sugar, allspice, sea salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, vinegar, Braggs/soy sauce, lime juice, oil and pepper. Process until mixture is smooth. Transfer marinade into a large bowl. Add sliced tofu and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while the rice & peas are cooking. Allow the tofu and marinade to return to room temperature before cooking. While the tofu is marinating...make the rice & peas.

Jamaican Rice & Peas
3/4 cup dried red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with the side of a large knife
1 can (14 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups long grain rice
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring the beans, garlic, coconut milk and 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about 1 hour and 45 minutes or until beans are tender, but not mushy. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water, rice, scallions, thyme and 1 tbsp sea salt. Season with pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir once and then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, covered, without stirring, until all liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes before fluffing mixture with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When the rice is ready, remove the tofu from the marinade. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the tofu and marinade, cook until both sides of tofu have browned and marinade has reduced a bit. Serve tofu over rice & beans with rum punch, lemonade or a cold beer.
Makes 2 - 4 servings

Wild Mushroom & Barley Soup

2006-10-12T13:58:00.000-05:00

A nice soup recipe to enjoy with some warm cider (spiked with a dash of spiced rum, of course) on a crisp autumn evening.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Soy Garden or other vegan butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 pound fresh wild mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, morel, chantrelles) with stems removed and thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (I like to use kitchen scissors to cut the leaves into small pieces)
1/2 tsp salt; more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup soy milk
3 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp Braggs or soy sauce
1 cup cooked barley

Make the barley according to directions on package prior to making soup. Warm the olive oil and butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn translucent and brown (5 mins). Stir in garlic and cook for another minute. Add the mushrooms, 2 tbsp of the thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 mins or until the mushrooms begin to look limp. Add the vegetable stock and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat and simmer until mushrooms are tender (around 10 mins). Remove from heat. After the soup has cooled a bit, transfer half to a blender and process until smooth. Return the processed mixture to the pot and stir in the soy milk, sherry, Braggs (or soy sauce) and cooked barley. Warm the soup over a med-low heat. Serve with additional fresh ground pepper, salt and fresh thyme.
Serves 4 - 6.

Lemon Seitan

2006-10-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

This zesty seitan can be used to add some zip to almost any dish! I like to stir fry it with broccoli and shitake mushrooms

1 cup wheat gluten
1 cup minus 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Braggs
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp flax seed
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
4 cups vegetable stock

Sift the wheat gluten, seeds and spices together in a large ceramic mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and Braggs into the water. Slowly pour the liquid mixture on top of dry ingredients while mixing quickly with your hands. Knead thoroughly to remove any lumps. Cut the seitan into bite-sized pieces. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a large soup pot. When stock has come to a full boil, place the seitan into the pot and lower the heat to medium-low. Let the seitan simmer for 35 mins. Store the seitan in it's broth in an air tight container for up to a week.

Makes 4 servings.

Long Grain Wild Rice with Blackberry Sauce

2006-10-12T13:25:00.000-05:00

This is a nice mix of sweet and savory. It's best to make the blackberry sauce while the rice is cooking, so that the dish can be served immediately. I love to accompany this dish with roasted potatoes.

Long Grain Wild Rice
2 cups cooked long grain wild rice (add a basil leaf to the rice while it's cooking)
1 tbsp Soy Garden or other Vegan butter
1/4 tsp Coriander
1/4 tsp Cumin Seed
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Chili Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

After the rice is done and still warm, mix rice, butter and spices together. Set aside.

Blackberry Sauce
10 oz frozen Blackberries
1/4 cup Water
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Arrowroot Powder

Bring the blackberries, water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and add arrowroot powder to mixture. Do not return to a boil. Stirring constantly, simmer over a med-low heat until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from burner and set aside.

With a large spoon, mound rice onto a plate. Create an indent in the middle of your rice
mound and pour the blackberry sauce into indent and all around rice.
Makes 4 servings.