Vegan Chickenless Seitan Cubes

Here is an easy recipe for seitan that can is versatile for use in many different recipes. The first time I made these, I used them in vegan quesadillas, which are pictured below. Since then, I've used them in a few other recipes, like pasta bakes, soups, etc. What's nice about making your own seitan is it doesn't take much time to mix all the ingredients together, and if you plan on sauteeing it, dinner can be ready in under 30 minutes. If you are planning on making larger pieces of seitan mixed with tofu and beans, then usually, pre-steaming is in order before frying or baking, but this recipe goes straight into the iron cast skillet. One of the spices I used is Trader Joe's Vegan Chickenless Seasoning Salt, but if you don't have it, feel free to sub a combination of sea salt, onion powder, turmeric, and garlic powder. Enjoy!

Preparing the seitan

One use for the seitan is in delicious seitan quesadillas!

Vegan Chicklenless Seitan Cubes

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten flour

1 and 1/2 cups water

1 tsp liquid smoke

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbs Trader Joe's Vegan Chickenless Seasoning Salt

2 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbs onion powder

1 tsp. black pepper

 

Olive oil for frying

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the oil. You want to mix until the ingredients are just incorporated; you may have to use your hands. Once incorporated, don't mix further or else the dough may toughen. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or a pan of your choice. While oil is heating, dice the dough into one-inch chunks or smaller. Add about a quarter of the chunks at a time to the pan and stir frequently. Once browned, about three to five minutes, put in a bowl lined with paper towels, and add another batch to the pan. Repeat until all the chunks have been cooked. You can continue to customize the seitan in different recipes,either by adding spices before mixing the dough, or by sprinkling them with additional spices as they cook. Delicious! Feeds at least five hungry vegans.

 

 

Roasted Tofu and Red Potatoes with Paprika and Rosemary

I veganized this recipe recently, and my family could hardly wait to dig into it because of the aroma that had permeated our home from the oven.  I've made tofu and potatoes together before, but this particular way of preparing them was new for me.  The result was an appealing combination of textures and spices that made for a fulfilling dinner.  Served with a side of vegetables, this would make a complete meal.

Roasted Tofu and Red Potatoes with Rosemary

Ingredients:

3 pounds of red potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 - 14oz. pkgs. of extra-firm tofu, water-packed, drained, chopped into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 Tbs. paprika divided
1 Tbs. rosemary leaves, divided
2 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper, divided
2 tsp. garlic powder, divided

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  In a large pot, cover the chopped potatoes with water and bring to a boil.   Boil for seven minutes.  Take the pot's lid, slightly cover the top of the pot, and drain the water into the sink  In the meantime, while the potatoes are boiling, get the spice mixture ready for tossing the potatoes and tofu.  In a large bowl, add half of the olive oil, paprika, rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Whisk well.  Add the potatoes and toss, until all the potatoes are coated.  Pour onto a large baking sheet.  Prepare the rest of the seasonings in the same bowl and whisk again.  Add the tofu cubes and gently toss to make sure they are coated as well.  The tofu is more delicate than the potatoes, so use a gentle hand.  Pour either next to or over the potatoes.  Bake for one hour, turning twice in that time.  Eventually the potatoes and tofu will be well mixed together, so just toss gently as to not mash the tofu.  When done, pour into a lovely serving platter, serve hot with a side of your favorite veggies, and enjoy your dinner.  Serves five hungry vegans.

Garlicky Fried Rice with Asparagus and Mushrooms

The poor lighting in this photo does not do this dish any sort of justice.  Garlicky Fried Rice with Asparagus and Mushrooms was so good, I couldn't stop eating it.  Only putting the leftovers away saved my stomach from exploding.  This was easy to prepare and even easier to eat.  I'm sure your taste buds would agree.

Garlicky Fried Rice with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil
2 Carrots, chopped small
8 to 10 Asparagus spears, ends trimmed, and chopped small
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 head of garlic, sliced thin
2 cups of leftover, cooked brown rice
1/4 cup of soy sauce
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped peanuts

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.  When oil is melted, add the carrots, asparagus and mushrooms.  Stir-fry for five or so minutes, until just fork-tender.  Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.  Add the rice, soy sauce and ginger.  Cook another five minutes, until heated through.  Add the peanuts and stir.  Serve immediately.  So, so good.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Pasta with Chorizo and Sweet Potato Sauce

This was another recipe inspired from Deceptively Delicious, which I renamed, veganized, changed ingredients up, the usual.  Still, the idea behind the original recipe was good: pureeing sweet potatoes for the sauce to get the kiddos to each more veggies. This also has chopped up celery and carrots, as well, so it's nice and healthy. This came out tasty, and the fam liked it, so all is good.  I puree my veggies ahead of time, bag and freeze them, and then thaw them out for recipes.  So, my sweet potatoes were already boiled, peeled and pureed for this recipe. This makes a lot of sauce, plenty for leftovers. Give this one a go, and let me know how it works for you.

Pasta with Chorizo and Sweet Potato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (we used penne)
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 onions, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 carrots, chopped small
4 stalks celery, chopped small
2 - 10 oz. pkgs. soy chorizo
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
4 - 29 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 14.5 oz. can Del Monte petite cut tomatoes with chipotle chilies
1 - 32 oz. box Imagine No-Chicken Broth
1 Tbs. vegan sugar
2 cups prepared sweet potato puree (boiled first)

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to package directions midway through making the sauce.  For the sauce, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  When oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery, and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the chorizo and salt and pepper, and cook for another five minutes.  Add the tomatoes, broth and sugar.  Lower heat to medium low and cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the sweet potato puree, and stir well.  Continue to cook until heated through, about ten minutes.  Serve over pasta.  This makes a bunch!  I froze about half the sauce for a later meal.  Feeds five hungry vegans and then some.  Very good.

Pasta with Artichokes and Broccoli

This is a quick, easy and delicious dinner I made the other night.  G usually just gulps down what I make with nary a comment, unless he really doesn't like or really does like something.  This one earned a comment for the latter, so I knew it had to be blog-worthy.  The ingredients are few, and the simple seasonings brought out their wonderful tastes.  Hopefully, you'll enjoy it, too.  What is your favorite thing to toss in a pasta sauce?

Pasta with Artichokes and Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 pound of thin spaghetti
1 Tbs. of olive oil
2 cups of broccoli florets, coarsely chopped small
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced thin diagonally
2 - 14.5 oz cans of Del Monte diced tomatoes with rosemary and oregano
1 and 1/2 cups of marinated artichoke hearts, sliced in half lengthwise
1 Tbs. sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the broccoli and carrots and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the tomatoes and artichoke hearts and cook for another three minutes, until heated through.  Add the sesame oil and salt and pepper, stir and let simmer on medium low for five minutes.  Top pasta with sauce and enjoy.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Green Salad with Golden Beets and Raw Pumpkin Seeds

This salad is perfect for a hot summer day.  I got the beets at the Farmer's Market, and they were deeeelicoius!

Green Salad with Golden Beets and Raw Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
8 small or 4 medium to large golden beets
1 - 15oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Directions:

Peel and quarter the beets, and boil for ten minutes.  Rinse under cold water, and slice into bite-sized pieces.  Add the lettuce, beets and rest of the ingredients into a large serving bowl.  Add your favorite vegan salad dressing.  Feeds five hungry vegans.  Simple and scrumptious!

Joe's Special with Beefless Strips

I know, I know, this is one more dish to add to my Joe's Special repertoire.   I made this sausage version in December.   I think I'm trying to recapture a magical time from my childhood.  Anyhow, you can see any of my other variations of this dish to know that I first had this with my father on long-distance bike trips.  He used ground beef, but I've changed it up any number of times.  Here's my latest version.  This is great by itself or served with pasta and fresh fruit on the side.

Joe's Special with Beefless Strips

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 pkgs. of Trader Joe's Beefless Strips or something similar
2-3 cups of quartered mushrooms
4-5 cups fresh spinach leaves, large ones torn

3 Tbs. soy sauce
4 to six drops liquid smoke

Directions:

Heat oil in large pan over medium heat.  When hot, add the strips and mushrooms.  Cook for five to seven minutes, until the strips are browned and the mushrooms are softened.  Add the spinach, and cook for another five minutes, until it is wilted.  Add the soy sauce and liquid smoke, turn heat down to medium low, and cook for two to three minutes longer.  Serve by itself or over pasta with fresh fruit on the side. Feeds five hungry vegans.

BBQ Tofu with Scallions and Red Bells

This is a fun way to change up a tofu dinner.  With barbecue sauce and a couple of vegetables, your family can have a complete meal served over brown rice.  I usually call scallions green onions, but I wanted to fancy them up, since they're in the title.  As far as the barbecue sauce, I just recommend a natural one, free of yucky ingredients.  I bought mine at the 99 cent store!  Enjoy this simple meal!

BBQ Tofu with Scallions and Red Bells

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 - 14 oz. pkgs. water-packed, extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 red bell pepper, julienned into 1 and 1/2 inch to 2 inch strips
3 scallions, ends trimmed, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 and 1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce

Brown rice made according to package directions

Directions:

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.  When hot, add the tofu.  Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until somewhat browned.  Turn heat down to medium, if tofu is cooking too quickly.  When tofu is browned, make sure heat is at medium, and add the scallions, red bell pepper, and sauce.  Cook for another five minutes, stirring frequently.  Serve over brown rice.  Simple and yummy.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Tofu, Brussels Sprouts and Peanut Stir-fry

This is one of those classic, throw-it-together meals, using up leftovers that turns out fantastic enough to become a real recipe worth repeating.  With just a few ingredients, this makes a complete meal for our family.

Tofu, Brussels Sprouts and Peanut Stir-fry

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. canola oil
3 -  12 to 14 oz. pkgs, water-packed tofu, drained and cubed in 1/2 inch squares
2 cups of Brussels sprouts halves
2 cups of kale, chopped
2 cups of cooked or leftover medium pasta - I used bow ties
2 Tbs. sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Heat canola oil over medium high heat in a large pan.  When hot, add the tofu cubes.  Cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned.  Reduce heat to medium and add the Brussels sprouts.  Cook for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the kale, pasta, sesame oil and soy sauce.  Stir well and cook for five minutes, until kale is just wilted.  Add the peanuts.  Turn off heat and stir. Serve hot. Feeds five hungry vegans.

Maple-Pecan Baked Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash and Christmas, 2013

I was feeling guilty about blogging about Christmas so far after the date and was prepared to lament about all the sicknesses I've either endured personally or as a motherly nurse.  But, then as I was catching up on reading the blogs, I discovered that lots of people are posting belatedly.  So, I feel better.  Although, I do really wish I had my Christmas post in the same year that I ate the dish.  Ah, well.

I wanted to come up with something seasonal and savory to bring to the family potluck, and I came up with this baked dish (that took longer to bake than anticipated), consisting basically of all the ingredients listed in the title.  Makes it easy, doesn't it? It turned out very well, and if I end up tweaking it in the future, I'll edit this post, but it's pretty darn good for now!  Buuuuuuttt, because we were all sick, we ended up staying home and not joining the big family for dinner.  Aaaand, my parents didn't come over for my traditional breakfast spread.  It was a very different Christmas indeed, but I still tried to make it as special as I could.  I made some of my breakfast dishes anyways, and we had a nice dinner, albeit simpler. 

Here's what we had for breakfast:

GR and JK made the Gingerbread house again
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Tiger Balls
SR made the Soft Ginger Cookies
Loaded Cinnamon Rolls 
Breakfast Links
Orange Juice
Hot Apple Cider
Coffee

For dinner all I could muster was:

Maple-Pecan Baked Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
A kid-friendly spaghetti dish

Our "scant" breakfast table

We also managed to drag ourselves to the fire station again to deliver our annual Christmas treats.  They remember us every year now.  GR was too sick to come, so it was just SR, JK and me.

SR and JK are sicker than they look.  But, we just love this tradition!

Maple-Pecan Baked Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

(taken with my new camera as of that morning; not sure if I like the posted date on the pic, but you can see I took it on Christmas!)

Maple-Pecan Baked Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

4 cups Brussels sprouts that have been halved
5 cups butternut squash that have been diced into half inch to an inch cubes
1 and 1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup 100% maple syrup

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Toss all the ingredients together in a large casserole dish.  Bake uncovered for one hour, stirring at the halfway mark.  That's it!  So easy.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Joe's Special-Inspired Sausages

A while back, I mentioned in my post Joe's Special with Tofu , how I came to love this dish.  I also now believe, although at the time I was uncertain, that my Toasted Joes must have derived from the same origin at some point: the dishes are too similar.  Anyhow, I've made Joe's Special at home several times with various versions of soy products, but I wanted something different and unique for my blog.  I thunk and thunk on my thinking log with my pot of vegan honey close by and was struck by the idea of making sausages with these ingredients. Ta dah!  These came out really tasty with very few ingredients, and the texture was very pleasant.  Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Joe's Special-Inspired Sausages

Ingredients:

6 oz. bag of spinach leaves, chopped small, approx. 3 cups chopped
3 cups mushrooms, chopped small, approx. 10 mushrooms
1 - 14 to 16 oz. pkg, tofu, water-packed, drained
2 and 1/2 cups water, divided
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 and 1/2 cups gluten flour

Directions:

In a large pot, steam the spinach and mushrooms over medium heat for ten to fifteen minutes, until shrunken and tender.  Meanwhile in a blender, break up the tofu and add, along with two cups of the water and the seasonings.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into a large bowl, and add the veggies. Stir well.  Add the gluten flour and stir.  Knead for a minute or so, just until everything is well incorporated and there are no overly wet or dry spots.   Tear fifteen pieces of aluminum foil and set aside. Take a clump of dough, about 1 and 1/2 times the size of a golf ball, and stretch out into a sausage shape on a strip of foil.  Roll the foil over at least three times, making sure you press it gently around the dough. Twist each end shut.  Place in the pot you used to steam the veggies.  Do the same with the rest of the dough.  Steam for 45 minutes over medium heat.  Near the end of the steam time, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Pour 1/2 cup of the water onto a baking sheet that has a lip around the edge.  Add more water if needed to make sure the baking sheet has a thin layer of water.  When the sausages are done, carefully unwrap each one and lay on the baking sheet.  Bake for thirty minutes, turning the sausages halfway through.  Add a bit of water to the baking sheet, if it's all evaporated.  They are ready to be served with a nice vegetable and grain for a hearty meal.  These are very tasty!  Makes 15 sausages.  Serves five hungry vegans for dinner and for lunch the next day.

Sesame Asparagus and Thanksgiving, 2013

For this Thanksgiving, I was inspired to remake a recipe I cut out of the newspaper and made several years ago, modifying it to make it my own.  Sesame Asparagus has such a beautiful presentation, perfect for the holiday table.  As usual, my family each got to pick up to two dishes they wanted for Thanksgiving.  Since most of them turned out to be Asian dishes, the asparagus fit right in.  Below is this year's unconventional menu.

Dinner:
Tofurky - picked by me
Roasted Potatoes - picked by SR
Gravy - picked by me
Steamed rice - picked by JK
Plain, Lemon Grass and Mushroom Tofu - picked by JK
Pizza - picked by GR
Hot and Sour Soup - picked by SR
Soy Chi'k'n - picked by SR
Sesame Asparagus - G made sure we had a veggie, and I made this one
Cranberry Sauces - general consensus

Drinks:
Apple and Grape-Apple Ciders - all the Blessings

Dessert:
Pecan Pie - G's working on perfecting his own recipe!  All he asked of me was to make the crust.
Black Tie Cheesecake  - GR picked and made it because I was sick, so sweet!

My plate couldn't even fit everything on it, nor could I finish this feast!

Black Tie Cheesecake - GR did an awesome job!

G's Pecan Pie, a delight in the works

Sesame Asparagus

Sesame Asparagus

Ingredients:

2 bunches of asparagus
Non-stick spray
1 Tbs. and 1 tsp. sesame oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbs. soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 and 1/2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. vegan sugar
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Trim or snap off the tough ends of the stems of the asparagus.  Spray a baking sheet with the non-stick spray.  Spread the asparagus in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Drizzle one tablespoon of the sesame oil over the asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for fifteen minutes.  In the meantime in a small bowl, mix together the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.  When the asparagus are done, place on a serving platter. Drizzle the sauce over the top, and garnish with the almonds and sesame seeds.  Tasty and different!  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Tofu-Sausage Patties

Here is another successful recipe for The Patty.  My family and I really liked my Tofu Quinoa Patties , and it really encouraged me to keep trying my hand at variations. This one was also well-received by the fam; little JK had three! This one's base is also tofu, and I'm happy with the texture and taste.  The center, like the ones with quinoa, is still somewhat soft, but it actually doesn't detract from the end result.  I tried different methods of preparing these particular patties and ended up liking the final method the best, even though it might seem redundant or time-consuming.  The final patty is worth the process.  Eventually, I'd like to try my hand at patties with bases other than tofu, although these patties and the quinoa ones hold up really well and could be eaten as a burger with the bun.  I'll let you know when I have another patty worthy of showing you. 

Tofu-Sausage Patties

Ingredients:

3 leeks, the whites chopped small
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped small
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 pkgs. 14-16oz. water-packed tofu, drained
1/2 cup cracker crumbs, either already boxed or grind your favorite
1 Gimme Lean Sausage tube
Canola oil for frying
Non-stick spray

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray, and set aside.  In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the leeks and garlic and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they begin to brown.   While those are cooking, mash the tofu in a large bowl.  Add the cracker crumbs and mash together, using your hands if necessary.  Do the same with the Gimme Lean sausage.  To the pan with the leeks and garlic, add the salt and pepper, and stir.  When ready, add those ingredients to the bowl with the tofu mixture and mix well.  Add a tablespoon or so of canola oil to the same pan, and keep heat on medium.  Shape the tofu mixture into balls slightly smaller than the size of a tennis ball - these are big patties!  Flatten them slightly in your palm and lay them in the pan.  Cook on one side for ten minutes without disturbing, then flip over and cook for another ten minutes. Add more oil to the pan, if you are doing these in batches. Place patties on baking sheet, and bake for twenty minutes, flipping halfway through. So good. Makes ten patties.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Purple Sweet Potatoes with Facon

I first made this simple dish on Thanksgiving of 2012. We enjoyed it again last night.  It seemed like a simple way to snazz up sweet potatoes and make them savory instead of sweet.  This is such a filling dish that I think I made too much for us, but yay for leftovers!  Check out the steam in this photo!

Purple Sweet Potatoes with Facon

Ingredients:

5 purple sweet potatoes
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 pkg. SmartBacon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel the sweet potatoes, and chop them into bite-sized chunks.  Put them in a large pot with water to cover.  Bring them to a full boil, and boil for five minutes.  While the potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Dice up the facon and add to the pan.  After the potatoes have boiled, drain them, and add them to the pan with the facon.  Add the salt and pepper, and continue cooking over medium heat for about another five minutes. When they have crisped slightly and been mixed well with the facon, they are ready.  Serve with a salad and another vegetable for a complete meal.  Feeds five hungry vegans with leftovers.

Kale with Sausage

Sometimes I feel silly posting easy recipes like this one, but then I figure that maybe not everyone's thought of this, and then I plunge forward.  You first saw this family favorite of ours in my Easter, 2010 post titled, "Pecan Raisin Tart."   I mentioned there that I would post the recipe later, and I guess "later" is what I really must have meant.  Better later than never, right?  I served this alongside my Simple Garlic Bread , and it made for a tasty meal.  

,

Kale with Sausage

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tube pkgs. Gimme Lean, sausage style
2 bunches of kale, stripped from stems and chopped, about 6 - 8 cups
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Slice each tube of Gimme Lean lengthwise and then in semi-circles.  Heat in oil for five minutes to where they are almost browned.  Add the kale and toss thoroughly.  Cook until kale has just wilted but has a nice bright green color.  Add the salt and pepper and serve.  Feeds five hungry vegans.  Satisfying, especially served with garlic bread and even a salad or a steamed veggie on the side.

Pizza for Grown-Ups

Recently I made pizza for the G, the Blessings and I again.  I used my typical pizza crust from my Quick Veggie Pizza recipe. I divided the dough in five balls, as usual, but this time for mine and G's pizzas, I decided to go for toppings that the sweet Blessings would not find appealing at all.  Not only could we indulge in spicy goodness, but it also assured us that our leftovers would be untouched by grubby, greedy littler hands.  I usually have a variety of toppings for us all to choose from, but I decided to pull out red onions and jalapenos, which I knew only G and I would have.  Whereas the Blessings top their own crusts, G just trusts my topping instincts to have me make his own.  He was delighted with the finished product.   With onions and hot peppers, at least in our home, this is definitely pizza for grown-ups!

Here's a shot of Pizza for Grown-Ups still on the baking pan after coming out of the oven.

A close up of all those delicious goodies.

Pizza for Grown-Ups

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 pkgs. or 1 and 1/2 Tbs. of active dry yeast
2 cups of warm water
4 cups of flour
1 and 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 and 1/2 Tbs. vegan or raw sugar

Grown-Up Toppings:

We used:
Organic pizza sauce
Daiya cheddar shreds
Daiya mozzarella shreds
Red onion, chopped coarsely
Sliced black olives
Mushrooms, sliced
Artichoke hearts, chopped coarsely
Pickled jalapenos, chopped small
Vegan pepperoni slices

Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let rest for ten minutes. Combine the remaining crust ingredients in a large bowl, along with the yeast mixture, and mix well. Cover bowl with a damp towel, and let rise for 30 minutes. Punch dough down and divide into five sections. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out one section of dough to about the size of a plate. Pick up and gently toss with your hands, until it's at least one and a half times its original size. Put on your baking sheet or pizza pan, and load with toppings. Bake for 20 minutes. While baking, make your next pizza. I can bake two pizzas at a time side by side; a bit of one baking sheet rests on the edge of the other, but it doesn't affect the end result. Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes before slicing. So good and easy! Feeds five hungry vegans or two vegan grown-ups and kid-friendly toppings for the rest of the gang.

Tofu Quinoa Patties

I've been on a quest to make new kinds of patties, so I'm not resorting to buying pre-made ones as much.  Pre-made ones are fine for a quick dinner when there's not a lot of time for preparation, but when I do have time, I've been trying my hand at methods that take just few ingredients.  I don't know about you, but when I play with bean burgers, they seem to fall apart.  I'll let you know if I come up with a truly hardy bean patty recipe.  And, I've been wanting to try grains other than rice on a more common basis.  So, one day I thought of using quinoa, which we all know is healthy, and binding it with tofu.  After a couple of tries, they came out really good!  And, what's even better, and this happens less often than you may think, everyone in my family loved them.  Not a single patty was left over, and that's saying something.  Let me know what you think, if you give these a try.

Tofu Quinoa Patties

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)
2 cups water
2 - 14oz. pkgs. water-packed tofu, drained
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Canola oil for frying

Directions:

Put quinoa and water in a medium pot.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down heat to medium and cook until quinoa swells and becomes translucent.  This will take ten to fifteen minutes.  Turn heat down to medium low if water is evaporating too quickly.  (I know these are different directions than most packages say, but I find this works for me better.)  You should end up with about 1 and 3/4 cups of quinoa.  In a large bowl, mash the tofu.  Add the quinoa and the seasonings and mix well; you can use your hands if necessary.  Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil on medium high heat in a large pan.  Make palm-sized patties and carefully add them to the pan.  Do not move patties while cooking.  Turn over after ten minutes, and cook undisturbed on other side for another ten minutes.  If you find your patties are cooking too quickly, turn the heat down to medium.  These will not be cooked solidly all the way through.  They have a crisp exterior and a cooked, warmed through interior. They hold up really well, and the texture is very pleasant.  Can garnish with hot sauce, mustard, ketchup or soy sauce.  Makes ten patties.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Three Bean Salad with Mint

Here is a wonderfully fresh and light salad to serve on a hot day.  My mom made a kind of sweet three bean salad when I was growing up, and I liked it, but now I like a tangy version.  I added a few other ingredients to snazz this up, and it's definitely a favorite of mine.

Three Bean Salad with Mint

Ingredients:

1 - 15oz. can of green beans
1 - 15oz. can of garbanzo beans
1 - 15 oz. can of kidney beans
2 sprigs' worth of mint leaves (about 8 to 12 leaves), chopped small
1 stalk celery, chopped small
1 green onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup of your favorite tangy dressing - can adjust to taste (We used LaMartinique True French Vinaigrette)

Directions:

In a large colander, pour all your canned beans and rinse under cold water.  Drain completely, and put in a large bowl.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients, and chill for at least two hours before serving.  Toss, taste, adjust dressing if necessary, and serve.  Yummy.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Desperation Garbanzos

It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was on the hunt for something to feed the fam for lunch.  Things were low in the pantry, but I didn't want to make a run to the store.  I was feeling desperate.  What to do, what to make?  Eight eyes were expectantly staring at me, almost audibly demanding, "Food!  We want food!  And not toast and cereal either!  Make something, Woman of the House, and make it good."  Gulp, oh, yes, the desperation was increasing.  Let's see, I had cans of garbanzos but no tahini - not gonna have hummus.  I had a strange bunch of just celery leaves I picked up at the Farmer's Market.  How to combine...  No potatoes, but rice is located, yes!  It's coming together...  I began sauteing, chopping, stirring, seasoning, and before I knew it, I had a dish, and not just any dish, but a dish that those demanding eyes would approve of.  I had...Desperation Garbanzos!  Read below to see how you too can make this awesomely satisfying dish that I will definitely be making again.

Desperation Garbanzos

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 - 15oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 and 1/2 cup celery greens, chopped (or celery if you don't have enough greens)
10 mint leaves, chopped
1 - 11 oz. of your favorite peanut sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Jasmine rice

Directions:

In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute for five minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another five minute over medium heat.  Lower heat to medium low and simmer for another fifteen minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Serve over rice.  Very flavorful!  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Fresh Spring Soup

Hello, hello, hello!  My apologies on the break at last posting.  Summertime with the Blessings is quite busy.  I actually made this soup in the heart of spring, but I finally found a moment to post it.  Also, a warning, my middle Blessing seems to have spilled a fruit drink on my keyboard, and so until further notice I cannot depress the letter that is between "i" and "k" in the alphabet.  Luckily, none of the ingredients involve that letter. Also my mouse sticks to the desk now and seems quite "uncleanable."  But, we must carry on!

This is one of those cupboard dishes that almost always turn out great.  I loved the finished product; it was delicious and used up so much of the awesome seasonal produce that I picked up at the Farmer's market.  Give it a try in about ten months!  :-)  Ha ha, only kidding, you can have it now.

Fresh Spring Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. canola oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cups chopped cauliflower
2 cups chopped Brussels sprouts
1 corn on the cob, kernels sliced off (it's even good if they come off in chunks!)
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 cups favorite spaghetti sauce (I used some in a glass cylindrical containers, er, storebought)
1 cup leftover rice
Water to cover
 1/4 cup mint leaves
1 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and corn.  Cook for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the pepper, salt, spaghetti sauce, rice and water, and cook for another twenty minutes.  Add the mint and parsley.  Stir well, and it's ready to serve.  So tasty!  Feeds five hungry vegans.