Vegan Steel Cut Oats with Banana and Manuka Honey

 

So good!!!!

Manuka Honey can be found at Trader Joe's or other specialty grocers. It can also be ordered online from Amazon and eBay.

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

Potato Bar

Looking for a super cheap, quick meal? Try having a potato bar, it's tons of fun and a great way to get rid of any leftovers you have in fridge and pantry. Let your imagination go wild because you can top a potato with almost anything! My kids absolutely loved making their own creations.

Broccoli and Cheez

Option 1: Chili, Cheez, and Jalapenos

Option 2: Broccoli and Cheez

Option 3: Butter, sour cream, chives, imitation bacon bits, pepper

Sour Cream, Chives, Bacon bits, Butter, pepper

Potatoes

Chili, cheez, and jalapenos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
Potatoes (enough to give everyone two)
Broccoli
Cheez sauce (recipe to follow)
Vegetarian Chili
sliced jalapenos
vegan sour cream
imitation bacon bits
vegan butter
pepper
chives

Directions:
 
Bake the potatoes at 350 for 60 minutes, until a fork is inserted and the potato is no longer hard.

"Cheez" Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup soy milk
1 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Set your toppings out in individual bowls, heat up the ones that need to be hot (cheez, chili etc...)

let everyone pick which type of potato they would like and load the toppings on.

That's it!! Easy!! Under the photos I posted what toppings are on each potato so pick your favorites and give them a try.

Bon Appétit,

Vegan Hearty Breakfast Casserole

 "Cheez" Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup soy milk
1 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper


Ingredients:
1 20 oz bag of hash browns (or homemade), thawed
1 14 oz package Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage
10 oz bag frozen broccoli, thawed
3 tablespoons imitation bacon bits
2 tablespoons hot sauce (we used Tabasco)


Preheat the oven to 375. Mix the "cheez" sauce ingredients together in a bowl until well mixed and set aside. Mix the Egg mixture ingredients together in a bowl for 3 to 5 minutes until well blended and set aside.

In a frying pan add some olive oil and the package of sausage. Chop the sausage into crumbles about the size of a marble. Stir and chop constantly to keep the sausage from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until browned.

Spread the hash browns out into the casserole pan evenly. Top with an even layer of the cooked sausage. Next layer the broccoli over the sausage.  Sprinkle half of the bacon bits onto the broccoli. Drizzle half of the hot sauce onto the broccoli.

Next pour the cheez sauce evenly on top. Top with remaining bacon bits, and hot sauce.

Bake in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes.

Recipe and Photos by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Quick and Easy Southwestern Black Bean Soup

This recipe is beyond easy because you use canned soup! I found a bargain at my local dollar store, vegan soup! Very exciting stuff! 2 cans however do not feed a family of 5 so... I added some ingredients and voila! Meal for 5 times 2. 

Ingredients:

2 cans of your favorite vegan soup (I used southwest black bean)

1 can  of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of corn, drained

a few hand fulls of homemade croutons (or store bought) 

vegan shredded cheese (optional)

Directions:

Simple! In a large bowl mix all 5 cans together. Heat on a stove top until hot (or even microwave it). Top with a hand full of homemade croutons. Enjoy!

This made enough for the 5 of us to each have a bowl and I froze the rest for use at a later date.

Recipe created by Laura Spear, photos by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Spicy Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients:

    1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
    2 tablespoons juice from jar of pickled jalapenos
    1/2 cup pickled, sliced jalapeno (start by adding half then add more to taste)
    2 tablespoons tahini
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    2 garlic cloves
    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    1/2 teaspoon paprika
    pinch kosher salt


Directions:

In a food processor, puree all of the ingredients. Test it, you may want more Jalapenos. You may want to add more jalapeno jar juice in order to attain your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl.  Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and garnish with a slice of jalapeno.

Recipe and Photos by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Cajun Tofurky Po' Boy Sandwich

 Tofurky is an amazing product, they make pizza, sausages, dogs, and even feasts for holidays. They really make it easy to come up with a quick and easy vegan meal when you don't have a lot of time on your hands. I created this recipe yesterday and my husband and children agree it was one of my best!

1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 Tablespoon of Cajun Seasoning
1 Teaspoon of Cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons of cornstarch (to thicken)
1 14 ounce package of Tofurky, Italian Sausage. Sliced into round 1/4 inch slices.
4 6 inch hoagie buns
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Creole mustard (optional)
Veganaise mixed with Tabasco (optional)
Spinach leaves (optional)

Directions:

In a large skillet add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, allow to heat. Next add the onion cook under crisp tender, about 5 minutes.

Mix in the green pepper, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste. Heating to a boil while stirring.

Mix in the cornstarch (to thicken). Add the Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Set to a simmer. Stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile in another skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix in the sliced Tofurky Sausage and allow to brown on all sides. (5 to 10 mins)

When the sausage has browned mix the sausage into the tomato mixture. Remove from heat.

Take the hoagie bun top and add the Veganaise Tabasco mixture (simply mix Tabasco into the veganaise according to how spicy you like it). Add a bed of spinach leaves, followed by some Creole mustard.

Add the tomato sausage mixture to the bottom hoagie bun, put the lid on and secure with a toothpick.

Makes 4 hoagies.

Recipe and Photos by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,