Maple-Pecan-Crusted Vegan Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons margarine
1/4 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup crushed pecans
2 cups of your favorite vegan chicken

Directions:

In a cast-iron skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat then add the salt, brown sugar, ginger, and olive oil. Mix that together.  Stir in the maple syrup, pecans and turn the heat down to low. Wait for it to bubble then add your vegan chicken. Flip it a few times to get it coated and then let your chicken simmer in the maple syrup mixture.  Cook for 2 to 3 mins then flip and cook another 2 to 3 mins. The kitchen will smell AMAZING.  You know the chicken is done when you have a golden brown crust on the pecans.

Recipe by:  Annie & Dan Shannon authors of the Betty Goes Vegan cookbook.
Photo by:  Laura Spear

BBQ Seitan Ribs

Ingredients

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten
• 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons tahini or other nut butter
• 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• about 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (see some suggestions below)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly spray an 8×8 baking dish with canola oil. Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the water with the nut butter, Liquid Smoke, and soy sauce and add it to the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well and then knead lightly in the bowl for a couple of minutes.

Put the dough into the baking dish and flatten it so that it evenly fills the pan. Take a sharp knife and cut it into 8 strips; then turn the pan and cut those strips in half to form 16 pieces:

This photo is by Susan Voisin of fatfreevegan.com

Put it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. While it’s cooking prepare your grill.

Remove it from the oven and carefully re-cut each strip, going over each cut to make sure that the ribs will pull apart easily later. Generously brush the top with barbecue sauce. Take it to the grill and invert the whole baking dish onto the grill (or use a large spatula to lift the seitan out, placing it sauce-side down on the grill). Brush the top of the seitan with more sauce:

 Make sure that it doesn't burn. When it’s sufficiently brown on one side, turn over and cook the other side, adding more sauce, if necessary. When done, remove to a platter and cut or pull apart the individual ribs to serve.

Note: To make this without a grill, bake it for 25 minutes without barbecue sauce. Then brush the top with a generous coating of sauce, turn the whole thing over carefully in the pan, and brush the other side with sauce. Bake for another 10-20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and caramelized slightly but not burned. Remove from oven, cut apart, and serve.

Recipe is by Susan Voisin of fatfreevegan.com. 1st two photos are by Laura Spear, 3rd photo is by Susan Voisin of fatfreevegan.com.

Halloweegan Peppers, Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns

Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns Halloweegan Peppers

You can stuff Acorn Squash or Peppers for this recipe. The filling can also be changed to whatever you want, spaghetti, pasta, noodles, rice, quinoa, I used orzo and followed the recipe below because it's what I had on hand. Kids love these fun little faces!! The husband even laughed when he took a left over one to work because his Tupperware lid is see through and you just say this scary face looking back at you from inside his lunch hehehe. This recipe also works year round, try different faces for different holidays. For example I plan to use red and green pepper to make "elf peppers" this Christmas :)

Stuffed with yummy orzo, recipe below I just substituted Orzo for Quinoa

My kids LOVED these jack o'lantern faces! 

Prepare the squashes:

• 2 gold acorn squashes
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper

If you're going to bake them in a conventional oven, preheat it to 375ºF.

Slice off the bottom tip of the squashes to create a flat base. Cut off the tops and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Save the tops for later!

Use a pencil to draw the faces on the squashes, and use a small serrated knife to carve out the faces. Luckily, carving a small acorn squash is easier than carving a big pumpkin!

Brush a little olive oil all over the inside of the squashes and lightly sprinkle them with salt and black pepper. At this point you can choose to bake them in a conventional oven for an hour or until soft, or you can cook them in the microwave like I did. Place the squashes in a microwave safe bowl, add about 1/2 cup of water and microwave for 5 to 8 minutes or until soft.

In the meantime, make the quinoa stuffing:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about five minutes or until soft. Stir in the mushrooms and saute two more minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for just about 30 seconds.

Add the parsley salt, black pepper, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft and fluffy. If the quinoa is still crunchy you can add more broth and simmer it for a few more minutes. 

Spoon the quinoa stuffing into the acorn squashes and cover them with the reserved squash tops. Reheat the finished dish, if necessary, and serve. 

For Tiny Appetites: You can make those mini pumpkins instead of the bigger acorn squashes. You can stuff 6 to 8 mini pumpkins with this recipe, depending on their size.

Halloweegan Peppers:

 You can also stuff a carved orange bell pepper. Carve, stuff, and bake in a covered casserole dish at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe from Vegan Wing it, Photos by Laura Spear 

BBQ Portobello Sliders

BBQ Portobello Sliders

makes 6 sliders

6 baby portobello mushrooms

6 slider buns

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

2-3 ounces gouda, sliced into squares (I used daiya vegan pepper-jack cheese)

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup bbq sauce, for drizzling and dipping

Heat a skillet on medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt and let caramelize, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, then turn off heat and set aside.

While onions are caramelizing, brush mushrooms with remaining olive oil and sprinkle both sides with pepper, paprika, onion and chili powder. Heat a skillet ( or a grill) on medium heat and cook until mushrooms are juicy and tender – about 5 minutes on each side. With 1-2 minutes remaining, add a slice of gouda on top to melt.

Assemble sliders by placing the mushroom on the bun, then top with onions, avocado, and a hefty drizzle of bbq sauce.

Recipe by howsweeteats.com Photos by Laura Spears iphone :)

Vegan Pho

What is Pho? It is a Vietnamese noodle soup, usually served with beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà). The soup includes noodles made from rice and is often served with Asian basil, mint leaves, lime, and bean sprouts that are added to the soup by the person who is dining. The dish is associated with the city of Hanoi, where the first phở restaurant opened in the 1920s. Now that we've had are little history lesson on the origins of Pho enjoy this vegan, animal friendly version =)


What You Need:

• 8 ounces dried rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 8 ounces Seitan, drained and cut into strips
• 6 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons miso paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (or to taste)
• 3 to 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• 
  

What You Do:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the rice noodles, and let them sit for 30 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the seitan strips and brown on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Bring the stock or water to a boil in a large pot. Add the onion, ginger, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
4. Place 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into a small bowl. Add the miso paste and stir to blend well. Transfer the blended miso paste into the soup along with the chile paste, if using. Do not boil. Stir in the seitan& noodles.
5. Divide the soup among individual bowls. Add the scallions, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

         Recipe from all recipes.com photos by Laura Spear 

Mongolian BBQ Seitan

Ingredients (serves 4)

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup water

1 T soy sauce

1 T agave

1 tsp lemon juice

1 to 2 tsp chili-garlic sauce (I used 3)

2 T's canola oil

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

8 ounces seitan, you can make your own or use one of my recipes or even buy a store bought package

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

4 ounces of snow peas (i used a bag of stir fry veggies)

2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups cooked rice, for serving

In a small bowl, make the sauce by whisking together hoisin sauce, water, soy sauce, agave, lemon juice, and chili-garlic sauce. Set aside. 

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and stir-fry the mushrooms and seitan until lightly browned and mushrooms have released their juices. Add ginger, cinnamon, and cloves; let cook a few more minutes.

Add the sauce and snow peas (or stir fry veggies) to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium, and let cook until sauce has thickened. Turn off heat and mix in scallions and cilantro, serve over rice.

This recipe is by Chef Chloe, the photos are by Laura Spear. If you'd like to pick up her new cookbook you can find it on the right side of my blog in my amazon spindle, its called Chloe's Kitchen. Enjoy!

Tomato Gnocchi with Lemon Basil Cream Sauce

Gnocchi

1 recipe for Vegan Gnocchi
or 1 package of store bought gnocchi

Tomato Sauce:

1 1/2 cups pasta sauce either homemade or store bought

1 tablespoon thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon parsley

Lemon Basil Cream Sauce:

1 cup cashews

2 tablespoons lemon juice (more if you prefer)

1 cup water

3 to 4 depending on size, fresh basil leaves. (more for garnish, optional)

Directions:

First cook your gnocchi according to package directions or your homemade directions, typical package directions are: Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add gnocchi. It will start to float when it is done about 2 minutes. Use a  slotted spoon to remove gnocchi and drain. Do not over cook. Set aside.

Use the same pan (water drained) to make the tomato sauce. Add the pasta sauce, drained diced tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, and sea salt, stir until heated through.

While your sauce is heating up, prepare the cream sauce. Place 1 cup cashews in a high powered blender with 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice (you can add more after you taste the sauce if you prefer) 3 fresh basil leaves (depending on size you may want to add another) and blend until a smooth cream sauce emerges.  Set aside.

Place the gnocchi in the tomato sauce and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon scoop the gnocchi with sauce (draining anything runny) onto a plate. Top with lemon basil cream sauce by spooning it over the top, garnish with the parsley and fresh basil leaves (optional).

Bon Appétit,

Recipe and Photos by Laura Spear

Vegan Pho

What You Need:

• 8 ounces dried rice noodles
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 8 ounces Seitan, drained and cut into strips
• 6 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons miso paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (or to taste)
• 3 to 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• 
  

What You Do:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the rice noodles, and let them sit for 30 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the seitan strips and brown on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Bring the stock or water to a boil in a large pot. Add the onion, ginger, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
4. Place 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into a small bowl. Add the miso paste and stir to blend well. Transfer the blended miso paste into the soup along with the chile paste, if using. Do not boil. Stir in the seitan& noodles.
5. Divide the soup among individual bowls. Add the scallions, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Vegan Vietnamese Noodle Soup (Pho)

This is a vegan meatless version inspired by the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup called Pho. This recipe uses Seitan the "wheat meat". If you prefer you can sub out the rice noodles and use linguine, both will taste fabulous.

Note: I doubled this recipe for my family of 5.

8 ounces rice noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces Seitan , cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons dark miso paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
5 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

(Follow package directions on the rice noodles to cook, before continuing on) if using linguine instead, cook the linguine to al dente about 8 mins. Drain rinse and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat, add the seitan strips, and cook until browned all over. Remove the seitan from the skillet and set aside.

Reheat the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion, cover and cook until softened, about 5 mins. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.

Scrape the onion mixture into a large pot. Stir in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and miso paste. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in the cooked seitan, noodles, vinegar, and sriracha, and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through and develop the flavors.

Divide the soup among individual bowls and top each bowl with some bean sprouts, green onions, and cilantro. Serve at once with extra sriracha on the side.

Recipe by Robin Robertson, Photo by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Simmered Seitan

Seitan, also known as "wheat meat" is a staple in the vegan diet. You can do just about anything you can imagine with it. We've made roasts, sliced "steak" for salads, hot wings, Asian noodle dishes, soups, you name it and you can use seitan in it. Here is a quick and easy recipe for this awesome "wheat meat".

SEITAN:
1 3/4 cup wheat gluten flour (vital wheat gluten)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil

SIMMERING BROTH:
7 cups water
1 medium onion quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, onion powder, paprika, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, and oil.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring to make a soft dough.
Kneed for 3 minutes, then let rest for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces depending on your needs (recipe makes about 2 pounds) I usually divide into 4 (8 ounce) portions.
In a large saucepan, or slow cooker, combine the water, onion, garlic, and soy sauce. Add the seitan pieces to the liquid and bring just to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Do not let the liquid come to a boil.

The seitan can be allowed to cool in the liquid and then refrigerated until needed for recipes. Seitan keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks. 

Recipe is by Robin Robertson from the cookbook "Vegan on the Cheap" Photo by Veg Yum.

Bon Appétit,

Vegan Thai Noodles

Here’s what you need:

* 6 ounces rice noodles

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

* 3 tablespoons peanut butter

* 3 tablespoons soy sauce

* 1 1/2 tablespoons honey

* 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

* 2 teaspoons sesame oil

* 2 large red peppers, cut into thin strips

* 1/4 cup onion, chopped

* 12 ounces seitan, ready to eat kind, cut into strips

* 1/4 cup cashews, chopped (I used peanuts)

here's what you do:

* Cook noodles according to directions, drain and transfer to a large bowl.

* In a blender, combine olive oil, vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, ginger and crushed red pepper, and blend until smooth. Set aside.

* In a large skillet, heat sesame oil, peppers and onions, and saute until crisp-tender.

* Remove vegetables from skillet, and place in bowl with noodles. Add seitan to hot skillet. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.

* Add seitan to vegetables and noodles, and toss gently.

* Pour dressing over noodles, tossing lightly to coat.

* Sprinkle with cashews.

Recipe from veggie mama blog, Photos by Laura Spear

Springtime Asparagus Soup

Have you heard that green is the new black?? 

Well, it's also the new soup!

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 tablespoons vegan margarine

10 ounces frozen or fresh asparagus spears

1 cup vegetable broth

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 dash garlic salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

(additional black pepper and salt to taste)

1 cup plain soy milk

Mix the ingredients, except the soy milk, together in a bowl and cook in the microwave for 10 mins (I did mine in my pressure cooker for 10 mins) Let it cool (you want to let it cool completely or it will explode in your blender like mine did :) Pour the cooled soup into a blender, pureeing until smooth. Return the mixture to a bowl, stir in the soy milk and microwave until heated through (I returned it to the pressure cooker for about 5 mins)

Makes 2 servings

Recipe adapted from PETA's Vegan College Cookbook, Photos By Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Whole Wheat Linguine with Sausage

 1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 box whole wheat linguine
1 Jar basil or garlic pasta sauce
1 jar small can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 package of Tofurky Italian Sausage
ground pepper (optional)
grated Vegan Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook pasta according to the package directions, drain and set aside. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a saute pan and saute the Italian sausage until cooked through and browned. Set aside to let cool.

Put the pasta back into the pan add the jar of pasta sauce, garlic, diced tomatoes, dash of pepper, dash of Parmesan cheese. Stir frequently cook until sauce is hot and bubbly.

While sauce is cooking slice the sausages into 1/4 inch slices and throw into the sauce, stirring them in. When the sauce and sausage is hot turn the heat off and remove the pan.

Serve in a bowl topped with a dash of pepper, and grated Parmesan Cheese to taste.

Recipe and Photo by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,