BBQ Season ~ Vegan Style {Overload Alert!}

Oh me, oh my. It's been far too long! Have you been enjoying this summer holiday? It's been a bit cooler than I'd like, but weather can be very unpredictable. I was looking forward to cookouts with neighbors, picnics at the beach, and all the other joys that warm weather brings, but alas, it has been wet, cold (60's) and windy. I guess I'll just have to content myself with INDOOR outdoor fare. 

Earlier this month, I was invited to share some plant-based recipes for our local Living Healthy Supper Club. It was right after the 4th of July, and being rather in the mood, I chose to go with a BBQ themed dinner. Our menu was:

Appetizer ~ 

Garlicky Spinach Artichoke Dip with Toasted Pita Chips

Sides ~

Israeli Cous Cous Salad

Herbed Red Potato Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Roasted Brussels and Asparagus

Baked Mac and Cheese 

Main Course ~

BBQ "Chicken" Sliders with 

Coleslaw Condiment

Dessert ~

Very Berry Shortcake

Soy Whipped Topping

I thoroughly enjoy this food. Seriously. I want you to be able to enjoy it as well. I don't have photos of all of the recipes, but if you'll click on the links provided, you'll get a sneak peak of some of the dishes. 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

(adapted from Chef Chloe Coscarelli)

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced  

a few pinches crushed red pepper (optional) 

2 cups chopped spinach 

1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu, drained 

½ cup nutritional yeast flakes 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 Tb. fresh basil, torn or coarsely chopped 

½ - 1 teaspoons sea salt 

1 Tb. Good Seasons Garlic Herb Dry Salad Dressing Mix

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained (can also use marinated or frozen) and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water chestnuts, drained and chopped 

Pita or tortilla chips and fresh crudites for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and red pepper and let cook a few more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add spinach. Let cook, stirring gently, until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and add chopped artichokes and water chestnuts.  In a food processor, blend tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add artichokes and spinach mixture, and pulse about 15 times. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Let cool slightly, then serve with pita or tortilla chips and vegetables. Can also be served cold. 

Herbed Red Potato Salad 

(adapted from Taste of Home)

3 lbs. Red potatoes, washed well

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tb. fresh squeezed lemon juice (about one lemon)

2 Tb. fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tb. whole grain mustard (opt.)

1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/3 of a large red onion, finely chopped

Instructions:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender but still firm and skins split slightly. Drain and set aside. 

In a small bowl whisk together oil, lemon juice, herbs, lemon peel, salt and whole grain mustard (if using). 

Dice slightly cooled potatoes and place in a medium bowl; add red onion. Drizzle dressing over potatoes and onion and toss to coat. This salad is best if served the next day to allow the flavors to deepen.

Israeli Cous Cous Salad

2 cups dry Israeli Cous Cous

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 English cucumber, peeled, quartered, and chopped

1 large red tomato, diced

2 Tb. diced or thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup, fresh basil, cut into ribbons (julienned)

Juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt

Instructions:

Pour water into medium sized pot, salt generously, and bring to a boil. Add cous cous and once again bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 8-10 minutes. (Check to make sure cous cous has not absorbed all liquid and is sticking.) Remove from heat, pour into a colander, and rinse with cold water. 

Peel, quarter and dice cucumber. Wash and dice tomato and onion. Wash and slice basil into ribbons. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk freshly squeezed lemon juice with 1/4 cup olive oil. 

In a large serving bowl, combine cooled cous cous, vegetables, and dressing. Stir well to break up any clumps of cous cous and incorporate all of the zesty, fresh dressing. Season to taste with salt. Serve!

Optional add-ins: 

Kalamata olives

Tofu feta (You’ll want to reduce the amount of dressing in the salad if using)

BBQ “Chicken”

4 cups Butler soy curls

1 Tb. chicken style seasoning

1 Tb. dehydrated onion

Olive oil

salt, to taste

2/3 cup prepared barbecue sauce of choice

Instructions:

Place dry soy curls in a medium bowl. Add chicken seasoning and dried onion to soy curls and stir to combine. Boil enough water to completely cover soy curls, and rehydrate for about 5 minutes. 

Heat about 1 Tb. olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain and squeeze excess water from soy curls and transfer to pan. Season with a little salt, to taste. Sauté curls for a minute or two until they begin to dry slightly and turn light golden brown. Add 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce and stir to incorporate. Turn down heat and continue to sauté, adding the last 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce when it looks a bit dry. 

Remove from heat, toast some burger buns, heap some BBQ Chicken on your bun, layer some fresh coleslaw on top and you’ve got a delicious main course for your vegetarian outdoor cookout. 

Layered Chicken Enchiladas {Southwestern Style}

I was invited to share and demonstrate some of our favorite recipes at a Living Healthy Supper Club recently. When I consulted with my husband {we have too many favorite recipes and I had to narrow it down}, he suggested a New Mexican theme. We lived in Los Lunas, New Mexico for a summer...just long enough to fall in love with the food of the American Southwest. I found that a traditional and easy enchilada recipe --New Mexican style--didn't include laboriously rolling tortillas, but simply stacking them! That instantly became my go-to process. I rarely make rolled enchiladas anymore. It's just too easy to layer them and pile the filling high!

The first dish I'm presenting to you from my New Mexican-themed Supper Club demonstration is Layered Chicken Enchiladas. I wanted to showcase some easy ways that meatless, dairy free substitutions could be made for typical recipes. 

Layered Chicken Enchiladas

Prepared Enchilada sauce (recipe to follow)

1 bag Daiya Cheddar Cheese or a batch of my Nacho Cheese Sauce

18 Corn Tortillas

Prepared Soy Curls (recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour a ladle of enchilada sauce in base of 9 x 13 casserole dish. Lay 6 corn tortillas evenly over surface of sauce. Spoon prepared chicken substitute over first layer of tortillas. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of Daiya Cheddar cheese over the chicken. Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce over the filling. Repeat layers of tortillas, filling, cheese and sauce until you reach about an inch from the top of casserole dish. Smother the final layer of corn tortillas with enchilada sauce, sprinkling Daiya over the top. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 35 minutes or until sauce and cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy with salad, spanish rice, and crockpot beans. 

Enchilada Sauce:

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup flour

1 T. chile molido powder (New Mexican style) 

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried onion

1/2 tsp. garlic

1 1/2 - 2 tsp. lemon juice

1 cup tomato juice

2 cups water

Pinch of oregano

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Whisk together canola oil and flour in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. When it begins to brown slightly, add chile and spices. Continue stirring and add rest of ingredients, water first, then juices, oregano, and salt. Stir until it begins to thicken slightly. If it is too thick, add a little more water. 

Prepared Chicken Style Soy Curls

(from Give Them Something Better by Sarah Frain and Stephanie Howard)

4 cups boiling water

3 cups Soy Curls

1 Tb. oil

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup vegetarian chicken seasoning

Salt, to taste

Soak soy curls in water for about 10 minutes. Drain. Sauté soy curls, onion, and chicken seasoning in a small amount of oil until golden brown. 

This recipe makes a large 9 x 13 casserole. We cut it into 12 equal servings. 

My Favorite Mac and Cheese {By Request}

Mac and Cheese is considered ultimate comfort food...right along with pizza and chicken noodle soup. It's hard to find a really GOOD vegan Mac and Cheese. The sauces are either too cashewy, too lemony, too pimiento-y, or too yeasty (in my opinion) ;-) I asked a friend of mine if she had a good one to share. When I tried it, I loved it. My husband loved it...and my children really didn't. But they like it now! 

I must admit, this isn't an original recipe. I wish it was, but it's been circulating for years. Jim and Neva Brackett developed this recipe and published it in their cookbook, 7 Secrets {a great resource, by the way!}.

We enjoy this dish two ways: just as pictured, or dressed up a little bit with a nice "buttered" breadcrumb top.

Ingredients:

1 cup canned coconut milk

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup pimientos

1 T lemon juice

Scant 1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp dried or granulated onion

2 1/4 cups water

1 lb. desired pasta (shells, tubes, or elbows work well)

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Remove from heat and drain.  Meanwhile, begin cheese sauce. 

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until very, very smooth. If you have a blender other than a VitaMix or BlendTech (sp), you may want to blend the ingredients with only half of the water, adding the rest as it becomes more smooth. With conventional blenders, you will need to blend the mixture for about 5 minutes or so until the cashew pieces are completely pulverized! 

Pour cheese sauce into a large sauce pan and, stirring frequently, bring to a low boil until it begins to thicken. Pour sauce over noodles and stir to combine. Serve immediately, or cover with seasoned bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees until bread crumbs turn a lovely brown. 

We enjoy this dish with steamed fresh broccoli and a protein such as veggie hot dogs or burgers.

Oat Burgers {With a twist!}

When I was in high school, I worked in food service. Our cafeteria was strictly vegan and we made everything from scratch...for 55-70 people. I will never forget making huge batches of cookies or burgers, peeling 50 lbs. of potatoes, cutting pounds and pounds of onions. One of the recipes I remember most was a sunflower seed burger, smothered in a special sauce and baked. I think of it sometimes when I'm forming veggie burgers by hand. 

Recently I began experimenting with my own veggie burger. I love Morningstar Farms or Boca products, but when I realized how much money I could save by making my own...I was hooked. Now, if only I could come up with a really good substitution for Morningstar Farms Breakfast Strips! :0)

These burgers combine oats, white beans, and brown rice and are celiac friendly if you make sure that your oats are gluten free. One batch makes 18 patties.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos (or light soy sauce)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 Tb. oil

2 Tb. dried minced onion

1 Tb. maple syrup

2 Tb. Italian seasoning (I made mine from a mixture of crushed rosemary, thyme, and basil)

1 1/2 tsp. garlic

1/4 tsp. cayenne or pinch of red pepper flakes (opt.)

3 1/2 cups quick oats

2/3 cup white beans, pureed slightly (still small chunks visible)

2/3 cup brown rice, cooked 

1/2 cup ground pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line several baking sheets with foil or bake-able parchment paper.

In a large pot, combine first nine ingredients (water + spices, oil and syrup) and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in oats, bean puree, rice, and pecans and combine well. You may want to grab a pinch of the mix and taste to adjust for salt if needed.Allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. It will become very thick.

Using a large ice cream scoop (about 1/3 cup), spoon mixture onto prepared sheets and flatten into patties with your hand. I made mine about 3/4-in thick. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes on one side, then turn patties with a spatula and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool before storing. 

These freeze amazingly well. I wrap mine in foil and place into a gallon size freezer bag. When I'm ready to use them, I take out however many burgers I need, microwave them for 15 seconds on each side, or until they're completely warm. I serve them on a bun layered with red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onions, ketchup, mustard (or) our favorite BBQ sauce. 

Enjoy! :0)

I modified a sausage recipe from Mary Bernt's "Best of Veggies".

Quick and Easy: Roasted Mini Burritoes

If you're a busy mom like me, you might be able to identify with this frequent scenario: We come home from the store, the kids are starving, and I've got to think quickly -- "What am I going to make for lunch?" My youngest is pulling on my pant leg, letting me know he needs to eat soon, and my eldest is scouring the fridge for something to tie her over. Hmmm. Now is when a quick and easy, throw-together meal comes in handy. Enter roasted mini burritos. A less-fat cousin of the crisp bean burrito from a certain fast food restaurant, this version is super satisfying and baked, not fried. 

As vegetarians, our family relies on beans, nuts, tofu, and vegetarian meat substitutes for protein. My daughter will not eat the meat substitutes. This is fine, because while they are a slightly better alternative to meat (lower fat, etc.), they are not the absolute best for us (highly processed and full of sodium). But, it does make life a bit more difficult when planning quick meals. So, this mini crunchy burrito using fat-free refried beans, is perfect for her little body. 

Ingredients:

My new favorite

12 fajita size flour tortillas

1 can fat-free or vegetarian refried beans

1/4-1/3 cup roasted corn salsa (I LOVE San Antonio Farms Roasted Chipotle Corn & Lime Salsa from Costco)

1/2 cup grated dairy free cheese (opt.)

Cooking spray

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Wrap tortillas in a paper towel and warm slightly in microwave for about 20 seconds. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine refried beans and salsa. Spread about a tablespoon of bean mixture into the center of tortilla, sprinkle with a pinch of cheese (if using). Working from one edge of the tortilla, roll up, leaving both ends open. Spray burrito with cooking spray and lay on a cookie sheet. Continue process until all tortillas are gone. Bake for approximately 5-7 minutes or until the tops are nice and golden brown. 

Remove from oven, allow to cool for a minute, then serve with a nice green salad. You could top it with a bit of store-bought enchilada sauce for a wet burrito, or serve it plain with a dollop of Tofutti sour cream substitute.

My kids love them and that makes me happy. :0) 

Yield: 2-3 per person

Southern Inspired Collard Green Soup

This delicious hearty soup has become one of my favorites. Nutrition meets Soul Food. Warm, savory, and satisfying-- perfect for cool autumn evenings.  My 5-year-old proudly proclaims: "I LOVE Collard Greens!" when she finds out I've made this for dinner and my toddler gobbles it up, too.

You could substitute any white bean and use spinach, kale, or chard and it would be just as tasty.

Ingredients:

1 Tb. olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

1 bay leaf

2 stalks celery, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 tsp. salt (Salt to taste, really)

6 cups vegetable stock or vegetarian chicken broth

1 15 oz. can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup pearled barley (eliminate for gluten free)

3 Tb. minced garlic

1 large bunch collard greens, stemmed and chopped

Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, bay leaf, celery, carrots and salt. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, then add stock or broth and barley. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender. 

Add black eyed peas, garlic, and as much of the collard greens as you can fit. Cover and wait a few minutes for the greens to cook down. Keep adding the greens in batches until they are all incorporated. Add black pepper to taste and adjust salt. 

Serve hot, garnished with a little parsley and a spoonful of parmesan or romano cheese (eliminate for vegan version, of course!).

I love to toast some crusty artisan bread, tear off a piece and dip it into my soup...Mmmmm. I'd make this again for dinner if I hadn't already made it twice in two weeks. I think I'll make Lebanese lentil soup instead...

Happy, healthy eating! 

Serves 4-6 (We have to double it in my house)

Ethnic Food of the Day: Lebanese Lubia (لوبيا)

We love ethnic food. Period. Korean. Middle Eastern. Thai. African. Mexican. Indian. You name it, we like it. We are blessed with a wide cultural circle of friends and they each have something new and delicious to bring to the table (pardon the pun) as far as cuisine is concerned. I'm excited when one of them is willing to teach me how to make a traditional dish. 

Our Lebanese friend, Rabih, showed me the basics for Lubia, a saucy Middle Eastern dish served with white rice. Lubia/Lubya simply means "beans" in Arabic. You could use white or red beans and make Fasolia, but traditionally green beans are used in this recipe. Now, I should put a disclaimer on this. This is my interpretation - probably not super authentic, but so good! This is my go-to dish when I'm short on time because it's simple, healthy, delicious, and my family loves it. 

The recipe calls for baharat, or Middle Eastern mixed spices. For sake of time I purchased some from a Middle Eastern market but if you're feeling adventurous, you could make your own! I made some a few  years ago. Find a recipe here.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

4 cups canned green beans 

1 large can diced tomatoes, in juice (or 2 - 15 oz. cans)

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag Morningstar Griller Crumbles (eliminate if making gluten free)

Salt

Red pepper flakes

Lebanese Baharat or Middle East Mixed Spices 

Sugar

Instructions:

In a large stockpot, saute onion in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. When semi-clarified, add minced garlic and sauté a moment more. Add green beans and tomatoes. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, a pinch or two of sugar (to neutralize the acid), about 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Seven Spices, and salt to taste. Stir and add 1/2 of the bag of Morningstar Griller Crumbles if using. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes more, or until all ingredients are fully incorporated and stew is bubbling nicely. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy hot over white or brown rice. 

Vegetable Pot Pie

One of our family's favorite meals is vegetarian chicken pot pie. I remember when I was a child, we could buy individual frozen vegetarian pot pies at the health food store: chicken or beef flavor. Once in a while we'd have them for a treat and it seemed like the longest 45 minutes in the world as that delicious pot pie cooked in the oven. I'd sneak a peek at the ever-goldening crust and hope that it was ready to eat soon. Then...the moment arrived. I'd slip my fork through the flaky crust and try to take a bite and immediately burn my tongue! It was worth it. All too soon the pot pie was finished and the craving was satisfied for a while.

Unfortunately, the company stopped making those little delectable morsels of vegetable goodness. The only frozen precooked pot pies you can find now are the Amy's brand. I've tried them, and while very good, they just don't measure up to the original vegetarian pot pies of my memories.

The solution? Make my own. Here is my rendition of pot pie. I'm sure there are many wonderful recipes out there, but this is what I've created. I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you make it, please send me your feedback. I'd like to hear what additional ingredients you added or subtracted.

Ingredients:

Filling

1 T. olive oil

3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and diced (red potatoes would work fine, too)

1/2 onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced into bite sized pieces

2 vegetarian chicken patties, cooked and cubed

1 T. vegetarian chicken seasoning

1 tsp. granulated onion

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

salt, pepper to taste

Gravy

1/2 cup raw cashews

2 cups water

4 T. vegetarian chicken seasoning

1 T. cornstarch

Instructions:

In a medium pot, saute vegetables in olive oil. Add seasonings as vegetables soften.

In a blender, blend 1/2 cup cashews with 1 cup of water until very smooth. Add additional 1 cup of water, chicken seasoning and cornstarch. Continue blending until well combined.

Pour cashew milk mixture into vegetables and cook over medium heat until combination begins to thicken. Stir often to make sure vegetables do not stick. Take off of heat and immediately pour into 8 x 8 casserole dish. Cover with your choice of uncooked pie crust. Poke 4-5 holes in top of pie crust to vent. Bake pot pie at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting through.

Complete the meal with a fresh green salad. Serves: 4 (depending on the size of pieces you cut!)

Vege Resource

After the holiday season and all the traveling accompanied with it, I am finally updating my blog! I've been experimenting with new recipes lately and you can be expecting some new additions to be posted soon, but for now, I'll share one of my favorite resources for vegetarian/vegan cooking with you.

My dear aunt Carol recently got me a gift subscription to Vegetarian Times, a great publication for anyone who needs inspiration for tasty vegetarian, vegan or even gluten free recipes. As soon as I receive my monthly issue, I sit down and devour it.

One of the recipes featured this month sounded really good, and I am definitely going to try it: Mushroom and Wild Rice Hotdish.

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice and brown rice blend

1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 med. onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 large stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 cup creamy portobello mushroom soup, such as Imagine

2 Tb. lemon juice

6 oz. Quorn Chik'n Tenders

1/3 cup vegan sour cream (Tofutti)

2 Tb. panko breadcrumbs

Instructions:

Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30-40 minutes or until rice is tender. (You could eliminate this step if you have a rice cooker - just cook as normal in a rice cooker). Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add mushrooms and lemon zest. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and beginning to brown. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Stir in mushroom soup and lemon juice. Remove from heat and stir in Chik'n Tenders, rice and sour cream. Spoon into 8-in. square baking dish and top with breadcrumbs. Preheat oven to 375. Place casserole on baking sheet. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bubbly in the center.

Serves 6

Barbecue Meatballs

This recipe is one of my favorites. My family's taste buds are pretty selective and they love these meatballs served with mashed potatoes and a fresh green salad. You can experiment with different sauces (sweet and sour, spaghetti sauce, etc) or use the one I've provided. Either way, it's very good. *Photo illustrates Jamaican Jerk sauce on meatballs.

Ingredients:

1 12.3 package soft silken tofu

1/2 onion, chopped coarsely

1 tsp. seasoned salt (opt.)

1/4 tsp. granulated garlic

2 Tbs. soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1 cup ground pecans

1 1/2 cup finely crushed saltine crackers or bread crumbs

Instructions:

In a blender, blend tofu, onion, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce until smooth. Pour blended mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in pecans and cracker or bread crumbs. When completely mixed together, form into small balls.

Place meatballs on a sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer baked meatballs into casserole dish and cover with BBQ sauce and return to oven. Bake until bubbly.

BBQ Sauce:

Combine 1/2 cup of ketchup and 1 cup purchased BBQ sauce of choice. Add water until the sauce is a medium pouring consistency (not thick and not really thin). Adjust ketchup or purchased BBQ sauce to taste. Sometimes I add some apricot preserves, too.