Stuffed Crust Pumpkin Pizza

I have made this pizza a number of times but never with stuffed crust, actually I have never done stuffed crust on any pizza I have made. I just thought it would be a fun and easy way to mix up pizza night. Pizza is one of those quick and easy weekday dinners that everyone loves and this one in particular has become a family favorite. If you have never had pumpkin and arugula together you are missing out! It is my go to green for any dish I make with pumpkin. They complement each other so well. You will see what I am talking about when you bite into it!

You Will Need:

Pizza dough homemade or store bought, I usually pickup pre-made frozen dough (check to make sure it is vegan first)

1/2 can unsweetened pumpkin puree.

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tbs agave nectar

1/2 a package vegan daiya mozzarella cheese

10 red grapes cut in half

1 shallot thinly sliced.

A handful of fresh arugula 

TVP crumbles

2 tsp Fennel seed

a little olive oil

1 tbs. nutritional yeast

1 tsp. oregano

Preheat oven to 425.  Hydrate your TVP with boiling water. Then cook in a little oil with the fennel until browned.  Roll out your dough so that it larger than your pizza pan. In a bowl mix together the pumpkin, pie spice and agave nectar. Spread some of the cheese around the edge of the dough then fold the dough over the cheese and press the dough together. Brush the crust with olive oil. Then sprinkle with the nutritional yeast and oregano.  Spread the pumpkin mixture over the dough. (I use about half and save the rest for our next pizza night) Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese, your grapes, shallots and prepared TVP. Leave off the arugula for now. Bake for about 20 mins. Remove from oven and toss the arugula on, allow to cool. Slice and serve.

Edamame Pesto and "Chickn" Stuffed Shells

This is a fun and different way to do vegan stuffed shells. I recently got Isa new cookbook Appetite for Reduction. I decided to use her recipe for Edamame pesto, I was trying to think of different uses for it since it was so delicious and that is how I came up with this little number. I hope you enjoy and if you haven't picked up a copy of her new cookbook yet, please do so. She is my inspiration in kitchen.

You will need:


Jumbo pasta shells
1 package vegan daiya mozzarella cheese
1 tofutti vegan cream cheese
1 package vegan 'chickn' strips
Marinara sauce

1 Recipe Edamame Pesto: 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup packed basil leaves, 14 oz. shelled edamame, 1/2 cup veg broth, 2 tbs. lemon juice, 1 tsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 tbs. nutritional yeast. (blend all ingredients in a food processor.)


Preheat oven to 350.
Boil your pasta shells until tender, strain and let cool.
In a mixing bowl mix together all other ingredients (except the marinara and only half the bag of cheese.)
Stuff your shells and place in a glass baking dish, when you run out of filling top the shells with the rest of the cheese.
Bake for until cheese on top starts to brown.
Serve with marinara sauce.

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. 

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

Teriyaki Stir-Fry

This is such a great thing to throw together for dinner, you can make it as simple or as elaborate as you want and it will still taste amazing. If you want a quick dinner you can always get the pre-made sauce from the store, but I recommend making your own. As I am always trying to make my own sauce now, Everything tastes better home made. So give this a try, its very good.

Teriyaki Sauce

1/3 cup tamari
1/4 cup water 
3 tbs agave nectar
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs toasted sesame oil
1 tbs molasses
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbs ginger, minced
1 1/2 tbs arrowroot powder

Stir-Fry

1 tbs oil
Vegetables of your choice, I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies
tofu, drained, pressed, cubed, and cooked. I fried mine
cashews, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, etc.
Cooked rice or Soba noodles.  

Prepare your sauce, add ingredients into a bowl and mix well. In a skillet heat oil and add your veggies, cook until tender, add your prepared tofu and cashews heat thoroughly. Add the sauce and the cooked noodles (if using noodles) and stir-fry using thongs or chopsticks. Toss with bean sprouts and sesame seeds. If using rice serve over cooked rice. This recipe if very versatile, this is my favorite way of making it.  

 

Cinnamon and Sage Crusted Tempeh in a Piccata Sauce

Cooked this up for dinner last night and the flavors were excellent. The Cinnamon cuts the citrus of the sauce so perfectly and then the sage brings an earthy and pungent flavor to the dish. This is an easy dish to prepare and also a budget friendly meal. If you are looking for something new to try I highly recommend trying this out. If you do please leave your comments below, I would love the hear with you think. I based this recipe from one I found in Vegetarian times, but I  made some adjustments and decided to add cinnamon.

Piccata Sauce

1 tsp olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic
1 cup  white cooking wine
1/4  cup lemon juice
1 tbs capers, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 1 /12 tablespoons of water

Cinnamon and Sage Crusted Tempeh

1 8oz package of tempeh cut into 6 equal triagles
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tbs chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
oil for cooking

To prepare the sauce, heat the oil over medium high  in a sauce pot and add the garlic, cook for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice, capers, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes on a soft simmer.
Stir in the corn starch mixture and continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Heat about 1/8 inch oil in a skillet on medium high. Add the milk in a small bowl and then in a separate bowl add the cornmeal, sage, and cinnamon, mix well. soak the tempeh in the milk and then coat in the cornmeal mixture. Cook in the skillet until golden on both sides.

I served this with some fettuccine that I tossed in a dab of oil, salt, garlic powder and sage. Drizzle sauce over the tempeh and fettuccine.

Emerald Curry

I love Thai food! I love the taste, the smell, the look, basically everything about it. I have to say that my favorite Thai dish is green curry. I have made green curry every way you can think of, I have made green curry paste from scratch, used all fresh spices and herbs, tried different vegetables, different faux meats. After all my trial and errors, I finally out did myself tonight. This curry tastes very similar to Thai take out...which has been my goal all along. Best Thai green curry I have ever made. There were a few ingredients that I wanted to use but was unable to find, so this recipe will have a few options, I was told that there is an Asian market around here but I have not been there yet, I am hoping that they have the items I could not locate at Hannaford/whole foods.

Ingridents:

2 table spoons organic coconut oil
1 1/2 cans organic coconut milk
2-3 table spoons pre-made green curry paste. (pre-made works best because a lot of the ingredients needed to make it are hard to find so using pre-made actually gives a more authentic taste)
2-3 Kaffir lime leaves (if you can't find use 1 tbs lime zest)
1 cup Thai eggplant or regular egg plant. (Thai eggplant is seasonal here)
1 cup zucchini chopped
1 cup green beans
1 can chick peas
1 can seitan (you can find this in the Thai section at whole foods)
2 tsp palm sugar (you want to use palm sugar because it gives it a richer flavor, also in the Thai section at whole foods)
4-5 fresh basil leaves
Rice vermicelli noodles, or cooked rice

Directions

In a wok or large skillet on medium heat the coconut oil, add the coconut milk stir and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about a minute and then add the green curry paste, mix well and let simmer for a few more minutes. If you were able to find Kaffir lime leaves add them after the curry paste. (If using lime zest you want to want till the end to add it. Use the small holes on your grater to skim the outside peel of your lime, you don't want to hit the white part because that will add a bitter taste to your curry) Add the eggplant, zucchini, and green beans. Let cook for 8-10 minutes. If it starts to splatter at any point reduce the heat. Add your chickpeas and seitan, palm sugar, zest, and basil. Let cook for a few more minutes. Serve over rice vermicelli, or rice. Enjoy!

Beer Battered Tofishy Tacos

So I don't make these very often for a few reasons the first being that they are not very healthy, considering that they are fried. Second because they are time consuming and leave quite a mess in the kitchen. However Jesse just loves them and is always asking me to make them for him. I love them too but since I am the one who does all the cooking and cleaning, well........ So here we go

For the Sauce

1 cup vegenaise
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs vinegar
2 tbs fresh dill, chopped
2 tsp capers, in brine
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika

In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients well.

For the Beer Batter

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbs sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp kelp granules
1 cup vegan beer of your choosing (Go with a micro brew, you don't want to use cheap beer)
1/4 cup almond milk

Combine all dry ingredients, add the beer and milk and mix well. You want the batter to be the consistency of pancake batter, so add more beer/flour as needed.

For the Tacos

1 lb pressed tofu, sliced into large triangles
1 packet miso soup mix (check labels a lot of them contain fish)
kelp granules
extra flour
oil for frying
corn tortillas
cabbage, shredded
Lots of paper towels

Heat about 3/4 of an inch of oil on medium high  in a cast-iron skillet. Prepare your miso soup mix according to directions. Add some kelp granules  and mix. Soak the tofu in the mix no longer than five minutes and drain. Fill a small bowl with flour and coat the tofu triangle. Then dip into batter  to coat and place in the heated oil. (You will get messy and it helps to use both hand, the batter is heavy and the tofu will break apart if you don't lift it with both hands. Try to let the extra batter drip off before you put it in the oil). Cook until golden brown on both sides. Place on a layers of paper towels to soak up extra grease. When all the tofu is cook and can use the same oil to fry your corn tortillas. spoon some sauce on the taco shell, then add the fried tofu, top with cabbage and extra sauce if desired.