Easy Chick'n & Dumplings

I grew up in the south eating my Grandma's Famous Chicken and Dumplings. Every get together we attended she was in charge of this dish & the collard greens. No One else was allowed to touch that dish. This has been the one dish I hesitated to "veganize" because I thought my family would not approve of me attempting to make her famous recipe - in any form. 

Let me start by saying, this is not my Grandma's recipe. I cannot make handmade dumplings as delicate and perfect as she did - I have tried, but she has a talent there that no one can match. I decided not to copy her recipe. Instead, I decided to make this dish the most simple and quick way I could because this blog is about how to feed your family vegan meals on a budget and as quick as possible. I used all the "cheater" products I could & I'm not sorry. My husband and family loved this & appreciated how quickly I got them a hot meal on this freezing Winter day. It's not the old fashion way, but it's the way that I make it now. 

Recipe: 

1 (24 oz.) box of frozen flat dumplings - do not thaw. 2 (8 oz) Tofurky slow roasted chick'n 2 (32 oz.) boxes of Vegetarian Chichen broth* 2 bouillon cubes 1/2 cup of vegan protein broth to thicken** 1 tsp onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat vegetarian chicken broth, vegan protein broth, salt & pepper, onion powder, and bouillon cubes to rolling boil over medium high heat.

2. Add your dumplings about 10 at a time. Stir after adding each batch of dumplings. Stir several times while cooking to keep them separated. Do not reduce heat.

3. Cook about 10 minutes- until dumplings are tender. You may need to add some water as the dumplings cook to make sure there is enough liquid to cook the dumplings without burning the dumplings at the bottom of the pan.

4. Add Tofurky chick'n. Stir to combine. Cook about 2 more minutes and serve.

Makes enough for 6 -8 servings.

* If you cannot find vegetarian chicken broth - use enough bouillon cubes and water to make the 32 oz. of "chicken" broth

** I found the vegan protein broth at Walmart. It should be easy to find anywhere, but if you cannot find the vegan protein broth, you can take about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid from your pot and mix with 2 tsp. corn starch. Once this mixture is smooth, return to the pot. This will thicken your "soup".

Vegan Fajita Soup

Who doesn't love all the flavors of fajitas? I know we do! This is a easy recipe to pull all those flavors into an simple, one pot meal. Just serve with some colorful tortilla strips and a few chunks of avocado and you have a new "go to" soup for those lazy nights. 

This soup can be easily modified to fit your tastes and time schedule. If you prefer to use a vegan protein like Seitan or chick'n in this dish, it will still work perfectly. Just cut your vegan protein into bite sized pieces and cook as you would the mushrooms. I just used mushrooms because that's what we had on hand & they are easy to find in all parts of the world. You can substitute the vegan cream cheese for silken tofu and my vegan cheese sauce for any vegan cheese you can find at your local store, nutritional yeast, or just leave it out if you're not a fan. To make it easier, a bag of frozen bell peppers and onions can be used in place of fresh, chopped peppers & onions. 

All my recipes are open to your own personal interpretation. Just use the recipes as a guide as you learn to cook vegan meals. As you get used to the substitutions, please, make it your own! I love it when readers leave comments on their adaptations they have tried & enjoyed so others can try their creations too... that's how we learn 💜

Looking for more great vegan recipes? Try my Cheesy Cuban Black Bean and Plantain Bowl, BBQ Tempeh over Southwestern Cauliflower Rice, Spicy Ramen with Tofu and Asian Veggies, Vegan Fried Chick'n and Gravy, Vegan Comfort Soup, & Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Recipe:

1 (8 oz) package of mushrooms, chopped 

1 (15 oz) can of corn, drained 

1 pobalno pepper, seeded & chopped 

1 purple onion, chopped 

2 bell peppers, seeded & chopped 

1 (1 oz) package of taco seasoning

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed well

1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed well

2 (32 oz) vegetable broth 

1 (10 oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chilies 

1 (8 oz) container of vegan cream cheese 

1 cup of my Easy 5 minute vegan cheese sauce  

1 bunch of fresh spinach, chopped 

**Optional add ins & toppings**

1/2 tsp of liquid smoke  

1 fresh jalapeño, chopped 

Vegan sour cream 

Crispy tortilla strips 

Chopped avocado

Lime wedges 

Fresh chopped Cilantro 

Method: 

1. In a deep, soup pot over medium heat, cook your mushrooms, poblano pepper, bell peppers, onions and corn until tender. 

2. Add black beans, pinto beans, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilies, vegan cheese sauce, vegetable broth, vegan cream cheese, liquid smoke (optional), spinach, salt and pepper to your soup pot. 

3. Reduce heat to medium low and cook an additional 15 minutes, until warm and bubbly.

4. Top with chopped jalapeños, tortilla strips, vegan sour cream, lime juice, Cilantro, and avocado (or other desired toppings) before serving. 

Makes 6 servings 

16 Bean & Sausage Stew

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I LOVE crock pot meals for the Fall. Start it before work and come home to a finished stew. That's as easy as it gets! This was an idea I had when I noticed a bag of dried beans called "16 bean soup". I checked the label, it was vegan ( you never know, so always read the label!). Now I had something new to prepare and I was already thinking up ideas. The classic combination of sausage and beans was the route I decided to take with this bag of beans. I bought some fresh kale, carrots, a few potatoes and some Tofurky Italian sausage. 

Just had to soak my beans overnight, rinse well and remove "debris" before starting my stew idea. I woke up today and put my beans, potatoes and carrots on while I was making lunches for the kids. Covered my beans and veggies with salted water. Turned my crock pot on to low and left it cooking while I worked today. With about 10 mins work, I had dinner ready!

Looking for more Fall Recipes? Try my Easy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Cheezy Butternut Macaroni, Sothwestern Sweet Potato Soup with Applesauce Cornbread, Award Winning Chili, & Sriracha Black Bean Burgers

Recipe:

1 ( 20 0z) bag of dried 16 bean soup mix

water

salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

1 ( 14 oz.) package Tofurky Italian Sausage, cut into bite sized pieces.*

2-3 potatoes, cubed

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

1 bunch kale, sliced into ribbons

olive oil

red pepper flakes (optional)

Method:

The night before: Rinse beans well. Remove and debris. Cover dry beans completely plus about 2" of water. Cover beans tightly and allow to soak over night.

The next morning: Drain water from beans and rinse well. Pour beans into your crock pot. Cover with enough water to fill crock pot half way. Add salt, pepper, cumin, potatoes, carrots, and red pepper flake.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

When you come home: Cook your Tofurky Italian Sausage* and kale in a little olive oil over medium high heat. Cook until kale is wilted and Tofurky is slightly brown.

Pour Sausage and kale into beans soup. Taste. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread for a delicious country style meal.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

* If you can not find Tofurky, any Vegan sausage or seitan will work. You can also use mushrooms as a substitute if you don't use vegan proteins.

Lemon Orzo Soup

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It's that time of the year again. Seasons are changing, cooler weather is here, and everyone has a cold. What do vegans eat when they have a cold? This comforting soup is my go to "vegan penicillin". Everything you need from lemons, to garlic and turmeric make this soup not just healthy, but medicinal, & favorable.

Looking for more comforting vegan recipes?  Award Winning Chili, Baked Butternut Squash Burritos, Harvest Veggie Soup & Grilled Cheeze, & Chipolte Mac-N-Cheeze with Smokey Lentils, and Vegan Chick'n & Gravy

 Lemon Orzo Soup:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 stalk chopped celery
1 bunch finely chopped kale
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 (32 oz) veggie broth
1 cup orzo pasta
1 (15 oz.) can chic peas, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice from 1 large lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
fresh lemon wedges & crusty bread to serve (optional)

Over medium heat, sauteé carrots, celery, onions, peppers, kale, thyme, paprika, & turmeric in oil until softened.

Add veggie broth, chic peas, garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add orzo pasta.

Reduce heat and simmer 7 more minutes until pasta is done.

Serve with fresh lemons and crusty bread.

Makes about 8 servings.

Cabbage and Bean Soup

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This recipe has been a family favorite since I was pregnant with my oldest child, who is now almost 21. I craved this soup every day. I had to learn to make it or I would go broke eating at the local restaurant which served it along with garlic cheddar biscuits. (Recipe for the veganized biscuits can be found Here) This had to be veganized because it was an important part of our family's history.

This soup is easy to make & inexpensive to feed a crowd. That was a must raising 4 children. I would not post it until I got the seal of approval from my husband that it was good enough to be called "Cabbage and Bean Soup" and published. I hope this soup will keep you warm in the coming Fall months and become a family favorite in your home.

Looking for more vegan recipes?  Try my Award Winning Chili, Vegan Comfort Soup, Cheezy Butternut Macaroni, BBQ Tempeh over Southwestern Cauliflower "Rice"

Recipe:

1 (12 oz.) bag of veggie crumbles (vegan hamburger) *
Olive oil
1 Tbsp. cumin
1/4 -1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes (optional, but recommend)
2 (32 oz.) Mushroom broth**

1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. smokey paprika
2 (15 oz.) Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 small cabbage, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a stock pot, brown veggie crumbles over medium heat with a little olive oil until browned.

2. Add Mushroom broth, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, garlic powder,  onion powder, beans, cabbage to your pot. Add salt & pepper to taste.

3. Cover and cook about 30 mins until cabbage is softened.

Serve with vegan garlic cheddar biscuits or vegan cornbread for a hearty meal.

Makes 6 -8 servings.

* you can use 8 oz. Finely chopped mushrooms if you don't want to use "fake meat".

** vegetable broth will work fine if you can't find mushroom broth.