Vegan A Go-Go

Click here to view the embedded video. White Bean Soup with Spinach and Leeks Serves: 4-6 Difficulty: Easy Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes An easy and quick soup that you can make as thick as you’d like! 2 tsp olive oil 4 leeks, bulb only, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3-4 cups veggie broth (or you can substitute water) 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 2 bay leaves 2 tsp ground cumin ½ cup whole wheat couscous 2 cups packed fresh spinach or 2 cups frozen spinach salt and pepper to taste Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, cannellini beans, bay leaves and cumin. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the couscous. Cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Notes: Other spices such as rosemary can be substituted for the cumin for a different take on this soup. This recipe freezes very well, so you can make a big batch and not worry about leftovers. This soup can be very thick. To thin it a bit, you can add more water or broth, or cook the couscous on the side. Regular couscous can be used instead of whole wheat. Can also be served over rice if you don’t have couscous.

Click here to view the embedded video. Butternut Squash Fries Serves: 4-6 Difficulty: Easy Prep time: ~10 minutes Cook time: ~35 minutes The work needed to cut up the squash will justify the tasty results of these fries. 1 Butternut Squash (about 1½ – 2 pounds) 2 tsp olive oil ½ tsp salt Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and strings. Cut the squash into two or three easy-to-work-with pieces. Use a paring or chef’s knife to remove the rind. Cut the squash into fry-shaped pieces. Toss the squash with the oil and salt and spread into a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined pan. Bake for 20 minutes and gently flip. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Notes: Delicious sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Watch the squash carefully while baking to ensure to ensure they don’t burn. The more uniform the fries, the more evenly they cook. The fries are best eaten the same day, but can be refrigerated and eaten later, though they may become soggy. A better taste might result if reheated in a skillet on medium-high heat.

Click here to view the embedded video. Blueberry Pancakes Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy Prep time: ~10 minutes Cook time: ~25 minutes 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 tbs sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 2 tbs ground flaxseeds ¼ cup water 1 ½ cups soy milk 1 tsp vanilla ¾ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed) In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. In a blender, combine the flaxseeds and water and blend until thick, about 30 seconds. Add the soy milk and vanilla and process until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Ladle about ¼ cup of the batter onto the pan. Cook on one side until bubbles form on the top and the edges of the pancake are no longer shiny, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook until the other side is lightly browned, about one minute. Notes: This recipe should do well with substitutions including nuts, seeds other berries, other non-dairy milks, etc. Any egg replacer will most-likely do, including Ener-G, pureed fruit, applesauce, etc. Adjust the liquid depending on how thick you like your pancakes.

Click here to view the embedded video. Baked Sweet Potato and Green Pea Samosas a.k.a. Yammy Sammies Serves: ~5 Difficulty: Medium Prep time: ~40 minutes Cook time: ~35 minutes Don’t be afraid of a little extra work! These samosas are great for entertaining or mid-afternoon snacks. Well worth the effort! 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup water (plus ~2 tbs or more) 1 tbs plus 2 tsp (peanut) oil, plus more for brushing 1 small yellow onion, minced 1 large sweet potato, baked until tender, peeled and diced ½ cup frozen peas, thawed 1 garlic clove, minced 1 ½ tsp curry powder 1/8 tsp cayenne or to taste salt In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, water, and the 2 tsp oil until well blended. Knead into a smooth ball, approximately 5-10 minutes. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Heat the 1 tbs oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough. Try to make an approximately 16 square, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 16 four-inch squares. Place a small amount of the filling in the center of each square and fold one corner over the filling to the opposite corner to make a triangular shape. Seal the edges with water. Place the samosas on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush lightly with oil. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot. Notes: In lieu of making your own dough, try to find either spring roll wrappers at the Asian grocery or phyllo dough at a conventional market. Peanut oil adds a nice touch, but regular oil will work just as well. The filling tastes great on its own. You can give it a try over rice. Regular potatoes substituted for the sweeter varieties make a nice savory change to the recipe.

Click here to view the embedded video. No Bake Cookies Serves: 24 Difficulty: Easy Prep time:

Click here to view the embedded video. Asian Cucumber Salad Serves: 6 Difficulty: Easy Prep time:

Click here to view the embedded video. Chocolate Cake Serves: 8 Difficulty: Easy Prep: ~15 min Cook time: ~45 minutes A very simple cake made with items already in your cupboard. Be ready to shock your non-vegan friends! 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar ¼ cup cocoa powder 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp distilled white vinegar 1 cup water Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Mix together until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Notes: I’ve used brown rice vinegar instead of white in a pinch. You can substitute applesauce for the oil to lower the fat content, but the texture of the cake may be compromised. Nuts and/or vegan-friendly chocolate chips make nice additions to this cake. You may want to flour or lay some parchment paper in the bottom of the pan in addition to greasing it. I sometimes have a little trouble removing the cake.

Click here to view the embedded video. Quinoa and Black Beans Serves: 6 Difficulty: Easy Prep: ~15 min Cook time: ~35 minutes Unfamiliar with quinoa? Don’t be shy! This dish is a wonderful showcase to the “mother of grains.” It may become a favorite at home or at your next potluck! 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped ¾ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed briefly in cold water 1 ½ cups vegetable broth 1 tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste 1 cup frozen corn kernels 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and sauté until lightly browned. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro. Notes: Most quinoa manufacturers rinse the grain during processing, but it is recommended to rinse it in cold water prior to cooking.

Click here to view the embedded video. Winter Vegetable Hash Serves: 6 Difficulty: Easy Prep time: ~10 min Cook time: 35-40 This extremely versatile recipe allows for many substitutions, depending on what you have on hand, and will warm you on those cold winter nights. 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 pound potatoes, diced ½ pound shitake mushrooms, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 small acorn squash, diced 1 shallot, finely chopped 2 tsp garlic powder 1 pinch salt 1 pinch ground black pepper 1 cup chopped kale ~4 leaves sage, cut into strips Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix in potatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, squash, and shallot. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender. Mix in the kale and sage. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, until the kale has wilted. Notes: The smaller the dice, the faster the potatoes will cook, however you might want to cook the potatoes on their own for about 15 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. Any type of potatoes will work; Yukon gold are mentioned in the original recipe. Any type of mushrooms will work. A small onion will substitute nicely for the shallot. The acorn squash can be bought already cut up. Just dice into pieces similarly sized with the potatoes. The garlic salt can be replaced with 2-4 cloves of pressed garlic. Dried sage or thyme can be used if no fresh is available.

Click here to view the embedded video. Mayan Hot Cocoa Serves: 1 Difficulty: Easy Prep: 2 min Cook time: 5 minutes Sometimes hot cocoa needs a little something extra. If you’d like to spice up your winter hot drink, try this spicy treat! 1 cup vanilla soy milk, sweetened 1 tbs cocoa 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp chili Heat the soy milk to the desired temperature, either on the stove or in the microwave. Combine the dry ingredients, cocoa, sugar, cinnamon and chili and mix well. Slowly add the hot soy beverage to the powdered mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Enjoy! Notes: Unsweetened baker’s chocolate can be substituted for the cocoa. Just melt it in the soy milk while it is heating, either in the microwave or on the stove. The richness can be adjusted with more or less cocoa.

Click here to view the embedded video. Moroccan Chickpea Stew Serves: 6 Difficulty: Easy Prep time: ~10 minutes Cook time: ~1 hour Chickpeas are the main ingredient in this Moroccan flavored, hearty soup. 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish 1 large onion, medium diced 6 cloves garlic, pressed 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cumin 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 heaping tsp (sweet) paprika 1 (14.5 oz) can chopped tomatoes 3 (15 oz ) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well 1-quart vegetable broth (substitute water if no broth on hand) 1 tsp sugar Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 (5 oz) package pre-washed baby spinach (or 1 block frozen spinach) Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, sauté until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic to the onions. Lower the heat if browning starts to occur. Add the cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and paprika and sauté a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and ~10 grinds of fresh pepper. Stir well. The chickpeas should be slightly covered with liquid. If the level is too low, add some water to bring it just above the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then lower the heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let it heat through until wilted, just a few minutes. Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve the soup, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil if desired. Notes: Great served with toasted pita bread. Frozen spinach works very nicely. Using water instead of veggie broth is totally acceptable and won’t alter the taste. The spices can be adjusted if the flavor is too strong or too weak. Heat lovers can add more cayenne if they’d like more punch.