Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole

It's that time of year again...the time where you don't mind standing in front of a warm oven with some cider and a creamy concoction heating up for dinner. Yep It's casserole season! Here is a great recipe that you will be sure to be making time and time again....you will find yourself waiting for fall just to whip this up again. I promise you!

Vegan Cream of "Something" Soup
 (*works great for any recipe that calls for cream of "something" soup)




1 1/2 cups soy milk
2 tbs vegan veg broth powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tsp basil
1tsp thyme
salt and pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
2-3 tbs corn starch

     In a sauce pan heat the milk. Once it comes to a simmer whisk in all other ingredients until it starts to thicken...should take about 5 mins or so....if it doesn't thicken add a bit more corn starch or flour. Also you can add chopped mushroom or celery to make a cream of mushroom or celery. (P.s. If you do, and you don't want it to be chunky...just toss it in a food processor)



1/2 cup vegenaise
1tsp nutmeg
1tbs agave nectar
1/2 cup daiya Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup TVP "Bacon" crumbles. (If you don't have these available in your area try bacos they are vegan.) 
extra soymilk to thin out if needed

    In a bowl mix together all the ingredients, including the soup you made. If it seems to thick use the extra soy milk.

1 cup cooked quinoa

2 cups broccoli 

1/2 onion diced

1 large portabella mushroom cap chopped

     In a pan sautee the broccoli, onion and mushroom until tender...then mix together with the quinoa and the sauce.  Put into an 8x8 casserole pan.  Top with extra cheese and or breadcrumbs. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

 ENJOY!

Chicken-less and Lime Rice Enchiladas in Salsa Verde Ranch Sauce

I found a delicious looking burrito recipe that inspired this recipe. Minus the meat and diary of course, So I took it, Veganized it and put my own spin on it naturally! I hope you enjoy this one....our family certainly did. Oh and you can easily make this gluten free just by swapping out the flour tortillas for corn.


Sorry about my picture quality the lighting in my kitchen sucks right now!

Lime Rice

1 cup rice, either long grain or basmati

2 cups Veg broth

1/4 tbsp salt

1 tbs garlic powder

juice of 1 lime

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp cumin

1/3 cup cilantro

1 can black beans or 3/4 cup dried black beans pre-cooked. (I always use dried beans because they are better.)

Melt butter in a pot & add all seasonings. Add rice & cook over medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly then add stock & lime juice return to simmer, turn the heat to low. cover & cook about 30 minutes. Once done add the cilantro and black beans. Stir and set aside.

Salsa Verde Ranch Sauce

1 cup salsa verde

1/2 cup vegan Ranch (the one I used is also gluten free).

1/3 cup cilantro

1/3 cup vegan sour cream

1/3 cup veganaise

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp coarse salt

1 tbls fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

In 2 tbsp of oil saute your choice of chicken-less strips. I used Trader Joe's "Chickenless chickn strips"

8 whole wheat tortillas (use corn to make this gluten free)

shredded Mozzarella Daiya vegan (and gluten free) cheese

2 avocados mashed with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast.

Assemble 

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large casserole dish spread half of the sauce in the bottom of the pan. In each tortilla spread a spoonful of the avocado, then two spoonfuls of the Lime rice and beans. Top with a few "chickn" strips and then roll up and place seam side down into the pan. continue until the pan is full. Cover with the remaining half of the sauce and sprinkle with the daiya cheese. Cover in foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Sorry about my presentation.....It's so hard finding time these days! But Hey I finally got up a new recipe.

Pretzel and Peanut Crusted Tofu in a Mango Gravy with Stuffed Potatoes

I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious. I am Scottish so I was raised on meat and potatoes...Being vegan and have come to enjoy a much much broader range of food, However this really took me home last night. I hope you enjoy this recipe. (P.S. I am sorry for the picture quality...my computer is not working at the moment and the laptop I am using does not have photoshop.)

Pretzel and Peanut Crusted Tofu

1 cup pretzels
1/2 cup peanuts
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs flax meal
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup soy/almond milk
1 block tofu pressed and sliced into 12 pieces


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor mix the pretzels and peanuts until they resemble a bread crumb texture. Place in a bowl and mix in additional seasonings.  In a separate bowl add the milk. Dip each piece of tofu in the milk and then coat in the crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes turning once in the middle of cooking.

For the Mango Gravy


2 tbs vegan butter
1/3 cup flour
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cup vegan beef flavored broth
1/4 cup mango chutney
salt and pepper to taste

In a sauce pan on medium melt down the butter. Add the flour and mix until a paste forms stir continuously, until golden and fragrant. Add the onions and cook for a few more minutes. Then whisk in the broth. Let in thicken and add the chutney, salt and pepper. Adjust to taste. Remove from heat to let thicken more.

Stuffed Potatoes

2 large red potatoes, baked
2 tbs butter
2 tbs soy/almond milk
salt
TVP bacon flavored bits
Parsley, cilantro, or chive 
chopped onion or garlic
Pepper Jack Daiya cheese 


I baked my potatoes wrapped in tin foil at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Once cooked all the way remove from oven, cut in half and allow to cool. Once cooled carefully scoop out the middle and place in a bowl. Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk. Then mix in salt, TVP, onion, and herbs. Scoop the filling back into the potatoes and top with cheese. Put back in the oven for 10-15 minutes. 

Jenni's Mac'n'Cheese Bake.

I have had quite a few different versions of a vegan Mac'n'Cheese Bake. So many in fact, I have never taken the time to make my own version. I have pulled inspiration for this recipe from a couple lovely ladies. The first being little miss thing Isa Moskowits. The second being my friend Felecia who made an amazing bake not too long ago for one of our little neighborhood vegan feasts. It was so yummy it left me wanting more so I decided it was time to make some mac bake myself.  I don't know about you but Mac'n'Cheese has always held a special place in my heart and well..... vegan mac is just not the same. However This recipe may not taste the same....but, I think it does taste better. Now that is quite a break though in my book. Obviously you shouldn't take my work for it. Try it out for yourself. This is one of those recipes that really comes down to personal preference. However I promise you it won't be too dry or taste bland by any means. I did get a two thumbs up from a meat eater when I gave her a bite of my left overs, which I brought to school with me for lunch today. (Note: Sorry for the lack of pictures...My life has been a little busy lately.)

Ingredients:

1 box of pasta. Shells or macaroni. (I used medium shells)
3-4 slices of bread, buttered (Earth Balance)

For the Sauce:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
2 cups vegan chicken flavored broth.
4 tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1/3 cup flour
2 cups almond milk (you can use soy)
1 package daiya cheddar
1 tsp tumeric
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbs nutritional yeast
2 tbs lemon juice

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your pasta. In a food processor add your cashews and the broth. Blend until there are no cashew chunks left. In a cast iron skillet saute the garlic and onion in a tablespoon of oil until translucent. Set aside. wipe out your skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Heat on medium and add the flour. Mix well to form a paste. Add more oil if necessary. You want to stir this constantly for about 10- 15 minutes. It is ready when it is a medium brown toasted color and it smells fragrant. Whisk in the almond milk and then the cheese. Whisk constantly so the sauce does not form clumps. Add the broth and cashew mixture. Then whisk in all your spices and lemon juice. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes. When done pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well. Pour into a 9x13 glass bake. Tear up the pieces of bread and place on top of the pasta evenly. This prevents it from drying out in the oven. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more. If you want the bread on top to be more toasted turn on your broiler for a minute or two.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Teriyaki Tempeh and Sweet potato Sushi

Here are a few more awesome Ideas for sushi fillings. The first I used Teriyaki Tempeh with wasabi Avocado and chive and the second is spiced mashed sweet potato with shiitake mushrooms and chive. In order to save time I am going to provide a few links to some past recipes I have done....I have been pretty short on time since starting school, hence the lack of posts lately.

For the Teriyaki Tempeh

1 package Tempeh cut into small cubes
1 recipe Teriyaki Sauce

In a non stick skillet cook the tempeh until lightly browned and then pour over the sauce...let simmer until the sauce is absorbed. Set aside and let cool.

Wasabi Avocado

1 ripe avocado mashed
2 tbs wasabi powder
2 tsp hot chili sauce
Nutritional Yeast (optional)

In a bowl mash your avocado and mix in all ingredients. Adjust flavoring to taste.

Spice Sweet Potato Filling

1 Sweet Potato baked and mashed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
2 tbs pure maple syrup

Combine all ingredients. For this roll you can add some shiitake mushrooms.

Follow my first sushi recipe for instructions on how to prepare the Sushi. Here

Heirloom Tomato Au'Gratin

Oh Boy, we were loving this this. You just cant go wrong with the flavors of Heirloom tomatoes and Fresh thyme. If you are a huge fan of Heirloom Tomato's you must try this out. I can't wait to make this again with the tomatoes from our garden this year.

Ingredients:
3 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut 1/3-inch slices  
sea salt  
extra virgin olive oil  
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped  
2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced garlic  
2 tablespoons agave nectar
freshly ground black pepper  
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped  
1/2 cup vegan Parmesan cheese
1 cup daiya mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place sliced tomatoes into a colander and sprinkle with sea salt. Ask a question about this step.
Brush the bottom of a 9x13 inch glass backing dish with olive oil. Ask a question about this step. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for about five minutes or until onions are translucent, not brown. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme. Ask a question about this step. In a bowl combine the tomatoes, agave, and pepper. toss lightly. Ask a question about this step. In another medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme, Parmesan, daiya, salt and pepper. Layer half the tomatoes in your baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with half of the onion mixture, and then half of the the bread crumb mixture. Then repeat the layers again. Ask a question about this step. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until crumbs are golden and tomatoes are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Black Bean and Corn Layered Quesadilla bake

This is something quick and easy to throw together for dinner when you don't have much time to cook.

Ingredients:
5-6 flour tortillas (10 inches)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1/2-3/4 package daiya cheddar cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add beans and water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning.  In an 8x8 square glass bake pan, brush a the bottom of pan with a dab of oil. Place a tortilla in the bottom layer with seasoned bean and veggie mixture then sprinkle with a bit of cheese and scallions, then top with another tortilla and continue until all your mix is gone...you can make as many layers as you wish...I did 5 layers.  Bake until cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes. sprinkle pie with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges. Top with vegan sour cream, salsa, guacamole whatever you like