Buffalo Jackfruit Dip

BUFFALO JACKFRUIT DIP 

Ingredients:

2 ( 8 oz.) Vegan Cream Cheese 

2 cans green jackfruit in brine or water

1 tsp. garlic powder 

1 tsp. onion powder 

1 tsp. paprika 

Salt & Pepper 

1/2 cup Buffalo sauce 

1/2 cup Vegan Ranch 

4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese shreds

Chopped Parsley 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425°

2. Drain jackfruit completely- squeeze extra water out of the jackfruit. 

3. Spray a sheet pan with non stick spray

4. Shred jackfruit with your hands or a fork and place on sheet pan.

5. Place jackfruit in the oven until it is dried out and no longer translucent. 

6. Empty cream cheese into a mixing bowl and microwave until softened.

7. Add jackfruit, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce, 1/4 cup of ranch, and 3/4 of cheddar cheese to cream cheese and mix until blended. 

8. Spray an 8x8 pan with non stick spray and add cream cheese mixture.

9. Swirl the remaining Buffalo sauce & ranch on top of the cream cheese. 

10. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese & Parsley. Cover with tin foil 

11. Bake for 20 minutes covered.

12. Remove tin foil and bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese has completely melted.

13. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving with chips. 

Makes 8 servings

Tip: use leftover Buffalo Jackfruit dip as a filling for a quesadilla the next day.

 

 

Kimchi & Mushroom Ramen

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups vegetable broth 

8 oz. of vegan Kimchi

4 bunches of ramen

Fresh mushrooms 

Soy sauce 

Sriracha (optional)

METHOD:

1. Heat broth to boiling

2. Add mushrooms 

3. Add ramen & cook until almost ready

4. Add kimchi 

5. Flavor with Soy sauce and Sriracha 

Makes 4 servings 

Garlic &Herb Mashed Potatoes

 

INGREDIENTS:

4 CUPS OF POTATOES, CUBED*

1.5 CUPS OF UNSWEETENED PLANT MILK *

1 TBSP. VEGAN BUTTER

3 CLOVES OF GARLIC, MINCED

FRESH CHOPPED PARSLEY 

ITALIAN SEASONING 

SALT & PEPPER 

METHOD:

1. PUT YOUR CUBED POTATOES INTO A LARGE, STURDY MIXING BOWL. 

*I LEAVE MY SKINS ON MY POTATOES, BUT YOU CAN PEEL THEM IF YOU WANT A SMOOTHER TEXTURE. 

2. WARM MILK AND BUTTER OVER MEDIUM LOW HEAT UNTIL YOU SEE STEAM RISING. DO NOT BOIL. 

3. ADD GARLIC, PARSLEY, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, AND PEPPER TO THE WARM MILK. 

4. LET THE GARLIC FLAVOR YOUR MILK. YOU WILL KNOW IT'S READY ONCE YOU CAN SMELL THE GARLIC. 

5. ADD HALF YOUR MILK TO THE POTATOES AND START TO MASH (YOU CAN USE A HAND MASHER, A BLENDER, WHATEVER METHOD YOU PREFER). ADD MORE MILK SLOWLY UNTIL YOUR POTATOES REACH THE CREAMINESS LEVEL YOU PREFER. (MORE MILK = A SMOOTHER TEXTURE. LESS MILK = A MORE LUMPY TEXTURE). 

6. CONTINUE TO MASH YOUR POTATOES UNTIL THEY REACH YOUR DESIRED TEXTURE. 

7. SERVE YOUR POTATOES WITH MELTED BUTTER AND GARNISH WITH FRESHLY CHOPPED PARSLEY (OPTIONAL).

Maple Mustard Roasted Brussel Sprouts

 

INGREDIENTS: 

3 BAGS BRUSSEL SPROUTS, CUT IN HALF (ABOUT 6 CUPS)

1/2 CUP GRAINY BROWN MUSTARD 

1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL

1/4 CUP MAPLE SYRUP 

METHOD:

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 400°

2. MIX OLIVE OIL, MAPLE SYRUP, AND MUSTARD TOGETHER

3. SPRAY DISH WITH NON STICK SPRAY 

4. POUR BRUSSEL SPROUTS IN DISH. 

5. POUR MUSTARD MIXTURE OVER BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND TOSS WELL.

6. COOK FOR 30-45 MINUTES, UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN. 

7. MAKES 6 SERVINGS. 

Vegan Chick'n & Stuffing Casserole

 

INGREDIENTS:

(Filling)

1 (10oz) package vegan Chick'n strips 

Olive oil

3 Tbsp vegan butter

3 Tbsp AP Flour 

3 cups unsweetened plant milk

1 Tbsp vegan Chick'n broth base

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp onion powder 

1 Tbsp parsley 

1 tsp rotisserie chicken seasoning 

Salt & Pepper 

2 (15 oz) cans of mixed vegetables, drained well

(Topping)

1 (6oz) box stuffing 

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup of vegan butter

2 tsp. Italian seasoning 

METHOD: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Brown your vegan Chick'n strips. Cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside. 

3. Over medium heat, create a roux using 3 Tbsp of vegan butter and 3 Tbsp of all purpose flour. 

4. Add plant milk, vegan chicken broth base, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, rotisserie chicken seasoning, salt & pepper to your roux. Use a whisk to combine and prevent lumps. Allow to come to a boil to reach desired thickness. Remove from heat. 

5. Boil your vegetables broth and 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat. Pour over your Stuffing. Add Italian seasoning to stir to combine. 

6. In a larger mixing bowl, combine vegan Chick'n strips, broth mixture, and 2 cans of mixed vegetables. 

7. Pour the mixture into a greased Casserole dish and top with the prepared Stuffing. 

8. Bake for 25 minutes,  until Stuffing is browned. 

Serves 4-6. 

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

 

Ingredients:

2 (8oz) Baby Bella mushrooms, remove stems & clean 

4 oz. Baby spinach, chopped fine

6 oz. vegan cream cheese (I used Tofrutti)

1/2 cup vegan shredded mozzarella (I used Violife)

1/2 Tbsp. Minced garlic 

1 tsp. Paprika 

2 tsp. Greek seasoning 

1 Tbsp. grated vegan parmesan (I used Go Veggie) 

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450°

2. Combine all ingredients (except the mushrooms, obviously) in a medium sized mixing bowl. 

3. Stuff your mushrooms with your spinach mixture. 

4. Coat a 11x13 baking dish with non stick spray

5. Put your mushrooms in the baking dish

6. Cook for 25- 30 minutes.  

Makes about 20-25 mushrooms (depending on the size of mushrooms that come in your package). 

 

Vegan S'mores Pie

Recipe:

1 prepared graham cracker crust

1 (5 oz.) Box of chocolate cook & serve pudding mix

2 cups of unsweetened plant milk 

Dandies vegan marshmallows 

Melted vegan butter to brush the top of marshmallows. 

Method:

Preheat oven to 450.

2. Combine plant milk & pudding mix in a pot over medium heat. Whisk occasionally to thicken.

3. Once pudding has thickened, pour into your pie crust.

4. Top with marshmallows 

5. Brush marshmallows with a light coating of butter to help them brown in the oven. 

6. Put your pie in oven just long enough to brown your marshmallows.

7. Take pie out the oven and allow to completely cool. 

8. Place pie in the oven for at least 3 hours to allow it to "set". 

Serve cold. 

Makes 8 servings

Tofurky & Cheeze Crescent Rolls

My new favorite midday snack!! 

Recipe: 

1 can refrigerator crescent rolls

4 slices of Tofurky oven roasted slices, quartered

4 slices of Follow Your Heart American cheeze, quartered

Spicy, grainy, mustard (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 (or according to crescent roll instructions). 

2. Separate crescent rolls. 

3. Spread mustard on your crescent rolls - thinly, they will not cook right if it is too thick. 

4. Layer - cheeze, tofurky, cheeze, turkey on crescent rolls 

5. Roll up like you would a "pigs in a blanket" 

6. Place crescent rolls on a greased sheet pan. 

7. Bake according to crescent roll package (usually about 15 minutes) or until golden brown. 

8. Serve with additional mustard or your favorite dip. 

Makes 8 crescent rolls / 4  snack sized servings or 2 "meal" sized servings. 

Butter Poached Crockpot Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 lbs. of Yukon Gold potatoes 

2 sticks of vegan butter (1 cup)

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Clean potatoes 

2. Put one stick (1/2 cup) vegan butter in the bottom of the crock pot. 

3. Add potatoes to the crockpot and top with another stick of butter (1/2 cup). 

4. Top potatoes with a generous amount of salt and pepper. 

5. Cook on low for about 4 hours - stirring potatoes every hour to make sure every potato gets cooked in the butter. 

6. Potatoes are done when they are soft and skin is crisp.  

7. Serve with you favorite toppings.

Serves 6-8. 

Prefect Tofu Scramble

Tofu scramble :

2 (14 oz.) Extra firm tofu,drained and pressed*
3 Tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp each- garlic powder, turmeric, chicken seasoning, paprika
Ground black Sea salt (regular salt if you don't have it,but black salt is preferred )
Fresh cracked pepper

Method:

1.Melt Earth Balance over medium heat in a non stick skillet. 

2.Crumble tofu to resemble eggs as you add it to the skillet. 

3.Turn heat up to medium high.

4.Add nutritional yeast, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, chicken seasoning, black salt and pepper. 

5.Cook about 8 minutes, until tofu is firm and yellow from the turmeric. 

Makes 4-6 servings 

Happy Thanksgiving 2019!!

This year I made a Tofurky (Because that was all that is available in our small town & I haven't perfected a seitan turk'y, yet) that was roasted over carrots in a beer based baste (because I LOVE cooking with beer), garlic mashed potatoes & gravy, Tajin roasted corn, brussel sprouts roasted in a thick, grainy, German Dijon and maple syrup, teriyaki "meatballs" (these are Gardein brand), my famous butternut mac-n-cheeze (link to that recipe is here - Butternut mac-n-cheeze ) and a gingerbread pumpkin cake that is an adaptation from my pumpkin spice cupcake recipe - used a box of gingerbread mix instead of a spice cake mix and cooked in 2 8" cakpans (link to that recipe is here - Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes ). I like to keep these descriptions short so we can get on to the important part - THE FOOD!

Note- for more ideas for your holiday dinners, check out previous posts like My First All Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner , Glazed Meatless Loaf , Sausageless Balls with spicy vegan ranch , Greek Pinwheel Pastries , Apple Cranberry Cobbler , Cheezy Tater Tot Casserole ,Creamy Jackfruit Casserole , Award Winning Vegan Chili , &  Cowboy Caviar

Teriyaki Meatballs

3 packages of vegan meatballs
teriyaki sauce (1 cup +/- a few Tbsps)
a small amount of oil - optional

In a skillet, brown your meatballs in a little oil over medium heat. Do not overcrowd the skillet, this should take a few times to brown all these meatballs.

Put the meatballs into your crock pot on low heat as they become ready.

Once all your meatballs are in the crock pot, add about a cup of teriyaki sauce. This should coat your meatballs and leave about 1/2" of liquid at the bottom of the crock pot - adjust if needed

Let meatballs cook while you prepare the rest of your food. They are fine for hours, just make sure you add more teriyaki sauce if the bottom of the crock pot is getting dry.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Grainy German Dijon Mustard & Maple Syrup Glaze

4 lbs. of brussel sprouts, halved
1/2 cup of a good German, Grainy Dijon Mustard (not just brown, spicy mustard, but the good stuff!)
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of oil (you can sub this with broth if you are oil free)

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix dijon, maple syrup, and oil in a bowl with a whisk to form a glaze.

Toss your brussel sprouts with in the dijon glaze you just made until well coated.

Spread brussel sprouts out an a greased sheet pan ( I had to use 2 sheet pans, do not over crowd the brussel sprouts or they will not all become brown and roasted). Note - if you don't use oil, you will have to use something to prevent these from sticking because the maple syrup will glue them to your pan and they will be destroyed when you try to scrape them off!

Bake until all your brussel sprouts are brown, like the ones in the picture above. Start checking at 15 minutes, and add 5 minutes at a time until golden.

Tajin Roasted Corn

16 mini ears of cooked corn, defrosted if frozen, and room temperature.
1/2 cup of vegan butter
2 Tbsp. Tajin seasoning (located in the Mexican food section of your grocery store or online)
2 Tbsp. of nutritional yeast
fresh cracked black pepper - optional

Preheat your oven to 450.

Place corn on your pan and roast/ fry until golden.

Melt butter and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add tajin seasoning and nutritional yeast (make sure this is almost a powder texture. Mine was a little thick this time, so I crushed in between my fingers as I added it!)

Use a basting brush to coat your corn with the butter. Sprinkle with extra tajin, if desired, and cracked pepper.

Place corn on a baking sheet - make sure there is plenty of room for your corn to roast on all sides. Do not overcrowd.

Bake for 10 mins, then baste with butter again. Continue this process until corn is golden brown.

Meatless Loaf

You can't get a more homestyle comfort food than "meatloaf" and mashed potatoes... it's been 10 years since I even tried to make something like this, but with the new vegan plant protein grounds, it's possible again. This is honestly the best "meatloaf" I ever made. My family cleaned their plates tonight. This recipe will make 2 loaves, so you may want to divide it if you're not feeding a big family. I like to make one for dinner & one for sandwiches tomorrow, so I made two. 

Recipe- 

8 oz. White mushrooms 

1 medium carrot, chopped & peeled 

8 oz. Chopped spinach 

Olive oil to saute (optional)

2 (12 oz.) Packs of ground plant protein (like Beyond beef)

1 Tbsp. Greek seasoning*

1 Tbsp. Soy sauce

1 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Paprika

1 envelope of onion soup mix

Red pepper flakes (optional) 

Salt & pepper 

1 cup bread crumbs 

6 oz. Tomato paste 

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese 

4 oz. Shredded vegan cheddar cheese 

For the glaze- 

1 cup ketchup 

1 Tbsp. Yellow mustard 

1/8 cup brown sugar 

Method- 

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Chop mushrooms, carrot, & spinach in a food processor until fine. 

3. Saute your chopped veggies over medium heat with a little olive oil, until tender and the "water" has cooked out of the mushrooms. 

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked veggies, ground plant protein, Greek seasoning*, soy sauce, cumin, paprika, onion soup mix, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper, bread crumbs, tomato paste, vegan cream cheese, and vegan cheddar cheese. The best way to do this is with your hands. Mix well.

5. Coat a cookie sheet with non stick spray.

6. Divide your meatless mixture in half. Form 2 loaves. 

7. Place the loaves on your cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. 

8. Mix the ingredients for your glaze together  in a mixing bowl. 

9. Remove the loaves from the oven and coat with the glaze.

10. Return to the oven and cook 15 more minutes. Glaze should become caramelized. 

11. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.  Check to make sure it is cooked throughly. If it is not cooked throughly, return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes.

*I use Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning (see picture below). It is easy to find at almost any grocery store in the spice isle. It is usually near the bottom shelf with the other specialty spices (like Ms. Dash). You can also order it off Amazon for under $5. It's really worth purchasing. We use it almost daily.

If you want to just use what you have on hand, Italian seasoning will work too. Still use 1 Tbsp.. it may seem like a lot, but the beefless ground products are really bland & need a lot of flavor.

"Eggplant Lasagna" A moussaka inspired dish

Eggplant lasagna... That's what I'm calling it & it was delicious! I used eggplants and fresh basil from my garden to create this dish because my eggplant bushes are doing amazing things this year! Hope you will enjoy this random, improvised meal I made my family with your loved ones. Also... This is a reminder to ALWAYS write down everything as you cook. Even if you have no plan in the beginning. In fact my best recipes happen when I am just going with the flow and have no idea where I'm going to end up at!

Recipe:

3 medium or 2 large eggplants sliced 1/4" thick lengthwise (think lasagna noodles)

For the "meaty" sauce-

1 package of beefless crumbles (or 2 cups cooked lentils if you don't like vegan "meats")
1 tsp. Miso paste (soy sauce can be used if you don't have miso)
Greek seasoning blend to taste
1/2 dried mint flakes
Chopped fresh basil (about 6 leaves)
1 small onion diced
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
6 oz. Fresh spinach
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh cracked pepper & salt to taste
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
12 oz. Prepared tomato sauce

For the cheezy sauce -

2 Tbsp vegan butter
2 Tbsp flour of choice
1 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
2 cloves of pressed garlic
2 cups unsweetened plant milk
1 tsp. Dried Rosemary
4 oz. Vegan mozzarella

Topping-

4 oz. Vegan mozzarella
2 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast
1 tsp. Greek seasoning blend

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Combine all ingredients for "meaty sauce" EXCEPT the garlic and tomato sauce in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Once beefless crumbles are browned & onions are soft, add garlic and tomato sauce. Reduce to simmer & cover with a lid.

3. While the sauce simmers... melt your vegan butter and flour in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Once butter is melted, allow to cook one more minute to cook off the raw flour taste. Add you remaining ingredients and whisk to eliminate lumps. Allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat and let your sauce thicken for about 5 more minutes- it is ready when it coats a spoon.

4. Spray a 11×13 casserole dish with no stick spray of choice(or use vegan butter to coat). Layer in 1/4 the meat sauce, 1/4 cheeze sauce, cover with a layer of eggplants (think lasagna noodles). Repeat these steps until you end with a layer of meat sauce & cheeze sauce on top.

5. Sprinkle your topping over the eggplant lasagna. Coat tin foil with no stick spray (or vegan butter) to keep it from ripping your cheeze off when you remove it. Cover dish with tin foil (coated side against the cheeze).

6. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove tin foil and cook an additional 5 minutes until cheeze becomes golden.

Remove from oven & let cool at least 5 minutes before serving- it will be REALLY HOT, so have a glass of wine and relax before calling your family to dinner.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Cheezy Stuffed Shells

It's been 15 years since I made this dish. It wasn't vegan last time I made it for my family, so this was really an "experiment". It was fun cooking with my kids, stuffing the shells, tasting as we went along. In the end, it turned out great and it will not be another 15 years before I make it again! 

RECIPE: 

1 (12 oz) box jumbo shell pasta

1 (12 oz) jar artichokes, drain & chopped

6 oz. Fresh spinach, chopped 

6 oz. Mushrooms, chopped

10 kalamata olives, chopped & pitted

2 tsp. Minced garlic 

Salt & pepper to taste

24 oz. Marinara sauce of choice

8 oz. shredded Vegan mozzarella cheese 

For the tofu "ricotta":

14 oz firm tofu, pressed well

1/8 cup nutritional yeast 

1/4 cup (+/-) unsweetened plant milk 

1/8 cup Olive oil 

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Minced garlic 

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

2 tsp. Fresh lemon juice 

Fresh basil (optional) 

METHOD: 

Preheat oven to 425°.

Prepare pasta, but make sure it is slightly undercooked because it will finish cooking in the oven. (Example- my directions said boil 14 minutes. I only boiled the pasta for 10 minutes).

Over medium heat, sautee your spinach & mushrooms . Season with salt & pepper to taste. 

Once they are tender, remove from heat & drain any excess water from the pan. 

Still cooking over medium heat, add 2 tsp. of minced garlic to your spinach and mushrooms and continue to cook another 2 minutes.

Pour spinach and mushrooms into a large mixing bowl. Add your artichokes and olives. Mix well. Taste & season if needed. 

In a blender, combine all ingredients for your tofu ricotta and blend until almost smooth. 

Mix tofu ricotta, veggies, and 1/2 of your vegan mozzarella cheese together in your mixing bowl. This is your filling for your pasta.

Stuff your pasta with the filling.

Grease a 11×13 baking baking dish. 

Pour a small amount of marinara sauce into the dish, just enough to cover the bottom of the dish. 

Place each stuffed shell into the dish, careful not to overcrowd your pasta. (Use 2 dishes if needed.)

Top your shells with marinara sauce. 

Bake for 25 minutes. 

Remove shells from oven & top with the other 1/2 of your vegan mozzarella cheese. 

Bake an additional 5 minutes to melt your cheese. 

Makes 24 - 28 shells (depending on how much filling you put in each shell). Serving size is 3-4 shells. 

The BEST vegan Sausage-less balls Ever!

What happened today, changed my life & upped my cooking a HUGE notch! I got a tip today about adding cream cheese to your Sausage-less balls to keep them tender. O-M-G!! I will NEVER make them any other way again!! 

Recipe: 

1 package LightLife smart sausage 

1 (8oz) bag vegan shredded cheddar style cheeze. 

1.5 cups Bisquik 

4 oz. Vegan cream cheeze 

1/2 tsp. chilli powder (optional)

Salt & pepper

Dipping sauce: 

Vegan ranch (or sour cream)

Hot sauce to taste.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Combine all ingredients for Sausage-less balls in a large mixing bowl by hand (*plastic gloves makes this easier, if you have long nails)

3. Roll mixture into 1/2" balls

4. Place evenly on a greased cookie sheet.

5. Cook for 20 minutes, or until Sausage-less ballsare thoroughly cooked.

6. In a mixing bowl, combine vegan ranch & hot sauce to taste.  

7. Remove Sausage-less balls and serve immediately with spicy ranch. 

Makes 8 -10 servings

Greek Pinwheels

Merry Christmas Eve!! This is the best night of the year in pur family! The night when everyone gathers at my Grandparents house for finger foods, gift exchange, and quality family time. This is our holiday tradition ❤ 

Tonight I came up with something new to share with my family. Thankfully,  after many years bringing vegan food to our gathering, they have come to trust me & try it! I'm so lucky to have a family who is open minded and loves my food! 

Now, on to what you really came for...

Recipe:

1 (13.2 oz) package of refrigerator puff pastry 

1 cup shredded spinach

1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes 

10 kalamata olives ,pitted & chopped

1/2 cup Vegan mozerrella 

1/3 cup vegan butter, melted

Greek seasoning 

Chopped parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Roll out your puff pastry.

3. Top with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, olives, & vegan mozerrella cheeze. 

4. Roll pastry up tightly.

5. Wrap in plastic wrap & place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes 

6. Grease a baking sheet

7. Cut cold pastry into 1/3" strips

8. Place each piece on your greased baking sheet.

9. Mix Greek seasoning with melted butter. 

10. Brusheach piece with Greek butter.

11. Bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

12. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving .

Makes 16-20 pieces.

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 Southwestern Frittata

This is my new, absolutely favorite recipe!!! So easy to whip up using any veggies you have on hand. Easy brunch meal for company or just a weeknight dinner. Trust me... this is your new favorite recipe!!

Recipe:

Filling -

14 oz. LightLife vegan sausage
1 cup butternut squash
1 small onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
2 cups chopped kale
8 oz. Baby bella mushrooms
15 oz. black beans, rinse & drain
11 oz. Corn, rinse & drain
Salt & pepper
Chili powder (optional)
Paprika
Cumin
Olive oil to cook

Also -

4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese

"Egg" mixture-

2 cups garbanzo bean flour
2 cups veggie broth (or water)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Indian black salt (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Amazing sauce -

1 (10 oz) can rotel w/ green chillies
1 cup butternut squash
4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese
1/4 cup vegan sour cream
Salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425°

2. Cook all filling ingredients together in a large non stick pan over medium high heat until tender.

3. Spray 11×13 casserole dish with no stick spray.

4. Pour filling into the pan. Add 4 oz. Vegan cheddar cheese.

5. Combine all ingredients for the "egg" mixture in a mixing bowl. Use a whisk to break up any lumps.

6. Pour "egg" mixture over filling & stir to combine well.

7. Put casserole dish in the oven for about 30 minutes.... check starting at 20 minutes.

8. While the frittata is cooking, boil your 1 cup of butternut squash in a small pan over medium high heat until tender.

9. Once the butternut squash is tender, drain well and add to a high speed blender.

10. Add rotel, 4 oz.of vegan cheese, and vegan sour cream to the blender.

11. Puree sauce until smooth. taste. Add salt & pepper to taste.

12. Heat "amazing sauce in a small sauce pan before pouring over frittata.

13. Remove frittata from oven. Allow to cool a few minutes.

14. Serve frittata topped with "amazing sauce".

Makes 8 servings (maybe... this NEVER survives 4 hungry people at my house).

Chic pea Omelet

As an Events Manager, I have to plan menus with clients every week.  Unfortunately, most menus are not cruelty free 😐. Last Sunday, at a lady's brunch, I got to plan a vegan meal for a breastfeeding mama. She was a soy free vegan, so I personally prepared her meal to make sure her dietary needs were met completely. As much as I love my team, they don't always have a clear picture of veganism. Best to do it yourself when it's this important. 

I made this Chicpea Omelet stuffed with portabella mushrooms, onions, colorful bell peppers, spinach, Follow Your Heart vegan cheese, and topped with fresh sliced tomatoes and chives. I served this with Annie's all natural organic biscuits (which are accidentally vegan!) and a parfait made with coconut milk yogurt and fresh berries. When the brunch was over, she thanked me for a great meal. This really made my day! 

As a vegan, you never know what kind of meal you will be served at a function. I have had amazing chef created dishes with fruit sorbet as desert... I have also been served salad covered in ranch with rice mixed with spaghetti sauce served with chocolate cake (the same non vegan chocolate cake served to everyone else). I was very happy to have made this event special for this mama. 

RECIPE:

1 1/2 cups chic pea flour

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp. Garlic powder 

1/2 tsp. Onion powder 

1/2 tsp. Turmeric 

2 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast 

Indian black salt to taste(optional)

Salt & pepper

Vegan butter

2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbsp. Cornstarch 

1/2 cup mushroom or vegetable broth

2 small bell peppers, sliced

1 purple onion, sliced

4 cups of spinach, sliced 

Vegan cheese (optional)

4 roma tomatoes, sliced

Fresh chives 

METHOD:

Mix chic pea flour, water, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, turmeric, Indian black salt (or regular salt) and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth. 

In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, melt enough vegan butter to coat the bottom of the pan. 

Pour about 1/4 the chic pea flour mixture into the skillet.

Allow the omelette to cook, undisturbed, until it "sets" (becomes solid).

Remove pan from heat. 

Use a dinner plate to cover the pan.

Flip the pan over into the dinner plate to remove your omelette from the skillet.(This is the easy way to flip your omelette without tearing it up). 

Place empty skillet back over medium heat. 

Add a little more vegan butter to coat your skillet. 

Slide your omlette back into the pan.

Cook about 2 more minutes. Do not overcook. Omelette should still be able to fold without breaking. It should appear be light & fluffy. 

Repeat with your next 3 omelettes. 

Set your omlettes aside and prepare your filling.

In deep skillet over medium high heat, sautee sliced mushrooms with a little vegan butter. 

When mushrooms are browned, sprinkle with cornstarch and add broth.

Cook mushrooms in broth until a "gravy" forms. Add salt & pepper to taste. 

Set mushrooms aside. 

Sautee onions, peppers, and spinach together until they are tender. 

Set aside.

ASSEMBLY:

Lay your omlette on a plate

Put your cheese on one side of the omelette 

Layer 1/4 the mushrooms over your cheese

Top mushrooms with 1/4 of your onions, peppers, and spinach 

Fold your omelette over the vegetables 

Top omlette with sliced tomatoes and chives

Repeat until you have 4 vegan omelettes 

**Makes 4 omelettes**

Chili & Cheeze Gnocchi

This dish started out as an accident tonight, but ended up being a new family favorite. 

My son had requested gnocchi with tomato sauce and Gardein beefless crumbles. As I started pulling items out the pantry and refrigerator, I noticed I was missing one key ingredient in this plan: the Gardein beefless crumbles. No problem, I'll just grab some mushrooms. One problem, I didn't have any mushrooms! Mikey doesn't like just gnocchi and tomato sauce, so on to "Plan B".

I started searching the pantry and refrigerator for ideas. Green beans, corn, chipotle Just Mayo, maple syrup, beets, oatmeal.. no. Then I saw 2 cans of vegan chili. Yes. Chili is kinda a vegan "tomato & meat sauce". It was worth a try to avoid a last minute run to the grocery store after a day spent cleaning out the garage in 90° weather .

This "mistake" was perfect! My husband and son both had seconds! I love it when a moment of desperate creativity becomes a masterpiece. The bonus part is that it only took a few minutes to prep, a few minutes to cook, and it was very inexpensive to make. This is my favorite kind of recipe - perfect for a busy mom after a hard day!

If you like this easy vegan recipe, try my Easy Vegan Sunday Dinner, Cheezy Tater Tot Casserole, Mediterranean Cucumber Salad, Summer Berry Cobbler, Turkish Lentils and Rice, Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes, & Kale & Almond Pesto Pasta

On to the recipe...

Ingredients:

2 packages of gnocchi
2 cans of vegan chili
1 cup Follow Your Heart vegan cheeze
(That's it!)
Optional: fresh, chopped parsley, to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat oveoven to 450°.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat .

3. Once your water is at a rolling boil, add a generous amount of salt.

4. Add your gnocchi to your salted water & boil 2-3 minutes (gnocchi will float when ready).

5. Drain gnocchi well.

6. Grease an 11x13" casserole dish with vegan butter.

7. Pour gnocchi into your greased casserole and top with chili and cheeze.

8. Cook gnocchi 20-25 minutes ,until cheeze is melted.

9. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Serving suggestion - vegan crescent rolls and salad.

Makes 4-6 servings