Vegan A Go-Go

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Click here to view the embedded video. Caramelized Rosemary Pears Serves: 6-8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Hints of rosemary and pepper highlight this wonderfully sweet and flavorful dessert. Enjoy with a scoop of soy ice cream. 2 tablespoons vegan margarine 5 pears (about two 14.5 oz cans), cut into wedges 1 sprig fresh rosemary 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Melt margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears, rosemary and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are brown and caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Remove rosemary sprig and stir in pepper. Serve warm. Notes You can use fresh pears, just prep them beforehand: Peal, core and cut each into 8 wedges. Spread them in one layer on a greased pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let cool, cover with plastic wrap and chill (overnight if time allows).

Click here to view the embedded video. Rosemary Foccacia Serves: 10-12 Difficulty:  Medium Prep Time: ~45 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes This amazing bread can be customized in so many ways; it’s a great recipe to have on hand. Impress your friends/family when you tell them the bread is homemade! 1 tablespoon sugar or agave nectar 2 cups warm water 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 5 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary 1 tablespoon kosher salt Dissolve sugar in the warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to foam. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, onions, and 5 cups of flour until the dough comes together. Knead on a well-floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 415 degrees F (215 degrees C). Place dough onto oiled baking sheet, and flatten to cover the whole sheet evenly. Use the tips of your fingers to make indentations all over the dough spaced about 1 inch apart. Drizzle the focaccia with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle rosemary and remaining 1 tablespoon of kosher salt over the top. Let rise for 10 minutes. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes until golden brown. Notes This bread makes good pizza dough. Just omit the onions. You can make it ahead and refrigerate for two-three days. Change the toppings by adding: Oregano and kalamata olives. Tomato, basil, sliced olives and garlic. Sliced red onions, artichoke hearts and kalamata olives.

Click here to view the embedded video. Stuffed Zucchini Serves: 6-8 Difficulty:  Medium Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Have a lot of zucchini? This recipe is a great way to use it up in a tasty and interesting way. INGREDIENTS: 4 zucchini, halved 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 (8 ounce) package button mushrooms, sliced 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste 1 (15.5 ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed 1/2 lemon, juiced salt to taste ground black pepper to taste Grease a shallow baking dish. Scoop out the flesh of the zucchini; chop the flesh and set aside. Place the shells in the prepared dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes, then add garlic and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in chopped zucchini and mushrooms; saute 5 minutes. Stir in coriander, cumin, chick peas, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into zucchini shells. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until zucchini are tender. Notes No time? Just chop up the zucchini, cook it all up in the skillet and then bake in the oven. Tastes great with rice, couscous or quinoa. Use a melon baller to remove the flesh of the zucchini. Try an Italian spin by substituting 1 1/2 teaspoons of Italian herbs and serving with spaghetti sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley before filling the shells.

Click here to view the embedded video. Quinoa Tabbouleh Serves: 6-8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes (Cooling time: 30 min to 1 hr) This tasty salad could easily be the main course! It’s a great way to showcase quinoa in a familiar recipe. 2 cups veggie broth or water 1 cup quinoa 1 pinch salt 2 tbs to 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 tomatoes, diced 1 cucumber, diced 2 bunches green onions, diced 2 carrots, grated 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped In a saucepan bring veggie broth/water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa. Notes Quarter cherry tomatoes for a nice presentation. Add two cloves of crushed or minced garlic to add a little extra punch. Try using cilantro instead of parsley, or use half cilantro, half parsley. Veggie broth might give this a heartier flavor, but water works great if no veggie broth is on hand. You can place the quinoa in the refrigerator to accelerate cooling.

Click here to view the embedded video. Peach Melba Serves: 6-8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  10 minutes 1 16-ounce can of peach halves or 4 fresh peaches (pitted and halved) 2 pints non-dairy vanilla ice cream Raspberry sauce (see below) Place 1-2 peach halves in each dish. Scoop non-dairy ice cream on top and drizzle with raspberry coulis. Serve immediately. Notes Raspberry Coulis 2 cups fresh or 10 ounces frozen raspberries 1/4 cup sugar Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Click here to view the embedded video. Orange Julius Serves: ~4 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  10 minutes We almost couldn’t get a picture for this recipe because we kept drinking it! Traditional Orange Julius 6 oz concentrated orange juice 1 cup soy milk 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 8-9 ice cubes Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Less Traditional Orange Julius 3/4 cup concentrated orange juice 3/4 cup soy milk 3/4 cup water 3 cups vanilla soy ice cream 2-3 tbs sugar 1 tsp vanilla Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Notes This can get pretty sweet if you use sweetened soy milk. You can adjust the level of sweetness by adding more or less sugar. Powdered sugar will blend more smoothly than regular sugar. Change the scale and use a stick blender for an easy treat for one or two with less to clean.

Click here to view the embedded video. Sweet Potato Pineapple Curry Serves: 4-6 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  10 minutes Cook time:  20 minutes Sweet and savory, this hearty curry will be a new favorite. Feel free to adjust to your liking! 1 teaspoon oil 1/4 cup red curry paste 2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce (optional) ~2-3 sweet potatoes, diced 1/4 cup white sugar 1 1/2 cups sliced bamboo shoots, drained 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned 1/2 green bell pepper, julienned 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained Heat about a teaspoon of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook briefly.  Mix in the coconut milk, sweet potatoes, soy sauce (optional), sugar, and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil, and cook 8-10 minutes, until sweet potatoes are just tender. Mix the bell peppers and onion into the wok. Continue cooking 5-8 minutes, until peppers are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in pineapple. Notes Serve this over rice. Substitute water chestnuts for bamboo shoots if you’d like. Using less coconut milk will make this thicker. For even thicker sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons mixed with an equal amount of cold water and add it during the last few minutes of cooking. You can use pineapple juice instead of sugar as a sweetener. More or less curry paste can be added depending on your preference. You can try green curry paste or even some curry powder if you are in a pinch. Add other vegetables like sugar snap peas and carrots for more color and flavor

Click here to view the embedded video. Ginger Carrots Serves: 8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  20 minutes Ready in:  5 minutes Enhance your candied carrots with a little spice. 2 pounds baby carrots or 2 pounds peeled and sliced carrots 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup vegan margarine 3 tbs brown sugar 1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp grated fresh ginger Steam carrots until just tender. Drain and sprinkle with salt. In a skillet, melt the margarine and stir in brown sugar and ginger. Add carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring gently until lightly glazed and tender. Notes I boiled my carrots, but steaming retains more nutrients.

Click here to view the embedded video. Thai Rice Salad Serves: 8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  20 minutes Ready in:  20 minutes This is a nice cool side for a those hot summer days. 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 lime, juiced 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (optional) 4 cups cooked, chilled rice 1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced 2 green onions, sliced 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/3 cup chopped mint 1/3 cup chopped basil 1/4 cup chopped cilantro In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and if desired, hot chili oil. Add remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over and stir to combine. Notes Rice may be cooked 2-3 days in advance. Any rice may be used. Peanut oil would work nicely if you have it. Try chopping up some jalapeno or other peppers to add an extra kick if you don’t have any hot chili oil.

Click here to view the embedded video. Greek Potatoes Serves: 6 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  20 minutes Cook time:  35 minutes Those who don’t like kalamata olives may change their minds after trying them in this flavorful recipe. 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup whole, pitted kalamata olives 1 1/3 cups chopped tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano salt and pepper to taste In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and stir. Add the garlic. Mix in the olives and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Notes Freezes well! Use more or less olive oil depending on your tastes. A 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes would work nicely instead of fresh. I don’t recommend using regular black olives since they may not give the exact flavor, but they might still make for a tasty meal if that’s what you have on hand or all you can find. Leaving the skin on the potatoes will increase the nutritional content of the dish.

Click here to view the embedded video. Bean Taco Filling Serves: 8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  10 minutes Cook time:  10-15 minutes This extremely easy and versatile bean recipe eliminates any excuse to eat out. Use this for tacos, burritos, and even bean dip. 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 (14.5 ounce) cans beans (black, pinto, pink, white, red), rinsed, drained, and mashed 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 cup salsa Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, and bell pepper; cook until tender. Stir in mashed beans. Add the cornmeal. Mix in cumin, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, and salsa. Cover, and cook 5 minutes. Notes This recipe tastes great the day it is made, but tends to develop more flavor on day two or three. Too thick? Thin the beans with more salsa, veggie broth or water. This will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, but if you don’t manage to finish it in time, it also freezes well. Frozen corn is a nice addition. If you’d like some whole beans in your filling, save a small amount to add back at end of the cooking time. You can adjust the spices to your individual taste. Not fond of green peppers? No worries! Just omit. If you don’t have cornmeal on hand, it’s alright to omit it.

Click here to view the embedded video. Crock Pot Lentil Soup Serves: 8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  ~10 minutes Cook time:  8 hours Crock Pot + Lentils = Yum! Use your own favorite lentil soup recipe for an easy meal you can start in the morning for a hearty dinner after work. 1 lb lentils, sorted and rinsed 1 quart veggie broth 4 cups water 4 celery ribs, diced 4 carrots, peeled and diced 1 onion, diced 6-8 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes 1 tsp oregano 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 1 pinch cayenne pepper salt and pepper ½ pound baby spinach, roughly chopped splash of vinegar or lemon juice, optional Combine all ingredients except spinach and vinegar in crockpot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until lentils have cooked and soup has thickened. Stir in spinach and let sit, covered, until spinach has completely wilted. Serve with a splash of wine vinegar or squeeze of lemon juice. Notes If you have a tried and true lentil soup recipe, feel free to use your own-just make sure you have enough liquid for the 8 hours of cook time. Speed this up using canned lentils and a regular pot on the stove.

Click here to view the embedded video. Breakfast Bars Serves: 8 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  10 minutes Cook time:  45 min plus cooling time 1 tbs oil plus more for pan 1 ¼ cups rolled oats ½ cup dried cherries, cranberries or raisins ¼ cup ground flax meal ¼ cup pecans, coarsely chopped 2 tbs pistachios, coarsely chopped ¼ tsp salt ½ cup agave nectar or maple syrup ¼ cup peanut butter ½ tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 325; grease an 8×8 baking dish. Line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper, leaving 2 inch overhang on each side. Brush the paper with more oil. In a bowl, combine oats, dried fruit, flax seeds, pecans, pistachios and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine agave nectar, peanut butter, oil and vanilla; heat until melted. Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until golden and edges pull away from sides of pan, about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in pan. On a cutting board, cut into 8 pieces using a serrated knife. Notes Store airtight a room temperature up to one week. Store up to three months individually wrapped in the freezer.

Click here to view the embedded video. Grilled Polenta with Mushrooms Serves: 4 Difficulty:  Easy Prep time:  ~10 minutes Cook time:  20 minutes Don’t be afraid of polenta.  This recipe is a good introduction to the seductive powers of cornmeal! 1 18-oz tube precooked polenta, cut into 12 slices ½ tsp olive oil 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about ½ cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 oz specialty mushrooms (shiitake, oyster and cremini) 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper Coat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan with vegetable oil. Heat to medium-high. Place the 12 slices of polenta on hot grill. Grill 6-8 minutes preside; polenta is ready to turn when it loosens from the grill and has grill marks. Place on a serving platter and keep warm. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 2-3 minutes or until just soft. Add garlic; cook an additional minute. Add mushrooms to the shallot mixture and cook until the mushrooms start to give off their liquid, stirring occasionally. Add drained tomatoes, rosemary, salt and pepper. Decrease heat and simmer 5-10 minutes to blend flavors. Serve mushroom mixture over the grilled polenta. Notes No polenta? Serve the mushrooms and tomato mixture over rice or quinoa. A mild onion can replace the shallots. Any type of mushrooms available should work nicely. Dried rosemary can substitute for fresh.