Tag Archives: vegan

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Meal: Creamy Red Lentil Soup

Lentils are a vegan staple, because they’re high in protein and make delicious soups and purées. In wintertime when daylight hours are short and temperatures low, lentil soup becomes a warm and welcome comfort. Depending on how hungry you are, this hearty-sized portion can be one or two servings.

What you’ll need:

  • Dried Red Lentils – Sorted & Rinsed (1/2 cup)
  • Water (1 cup)
  • Olive Oil (1/2 tbs)
  • Vine-Ripened Tomato – Diced (1 med)
  • Pitted Kalamata Olives – Sliced (5)
  • Green Onion – Sliced (1/8 cup)
  • Vegan Cream Cheese – Sundried Tomato or Chives Flavor (1 oz)
  • Smoked Paprika (1/2 tsp)
  • Sea Salt (to taste)

Add water and lentils to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a medium soup bowl, add olive oil, tomatoes, olives, and onions. Mix well and set aside.

When lentils are cooked (mostly pink instead of red), drain excess water (if any). Add vegan cheese, smoked paprika, and sea salt. Stir until creamy. Add to soup bowl and mix well.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Snack: Brownie Bites

Growing up, our family didn’t traditionally expect dessert after dinner—something other kids found quite bizarre. So whenever my mom made brownies, the aroma lasted for hours, and the day was beyond special.

For added pleasure, enjoy these chocolatey delights with an iced-cold glass of creamy oat milk.

What you’ll need:

  • 8×8 Baking Pan
  • Veggie/Olive Oil Spray  (minimum amount)
  • Pre-Packaged Brownie Mix (or dry ingredients from your favorite recipe)
  • Black Beans (15oz can)
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk (as needed)
  • Optional : Walnuts – Chopped (3-4 oz)

Heat oven according to instructions on box/recipe. Lightly spray bottom and sides of pan with oil. Drain and rinse beans and pour them into a blender. Add just enough almond milk to cover. Blend until smooth. Add to a bowl with dry ingredients. Stir until completely mixed.

Setting aside 1/8-1/4 cup chopped walnuts for topping, fold in remaining nuts to brownie mix. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top. Bake according to box/recipe. Remove pan and let brownies completely cool. Cut into 64 equal squares.

Refridgerate any unused portion.

Note: My husband absolutely loves these. I bring them to potlucks and am told they’re a cross between brownies and fudge. They’re delicious paired with coffee.

Variation: To make these a bit healthier, add 4 tbs. ground flaxseed to dry mix.

Variation: Sprinkle a small amount of sea salt across the top before baking.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Meal: Tacos/Taco Salad

What you’ll need:

In a microwave safe bowl, heat Gardein at 1/2 power for 90 seconds. Stir in salsa and heat at 1/2 power for 60 seconds. Heat taco shells at 1/2 power for 60 seconds. Fill shells equally with Gardein mixture. Drizzle hot sauce over mixture. Top with shredded lettuce.

Note: Add one more shell if you wish to share.

Note: To transform this into a taco salad, skip the shells and add chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, chopped green onion, and 1/2 cup cooked quinoa.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Salad: Lettuce Boats

What you’ll need:

  • Romaine Lettuce Leaves – Firm (8)
  • English Cucumber – Diced (1/2)
  • Cherry/Grape Tomatoes – Quartered (1/2 container)
  • Red or Yellow Bell Pepper – Diced (1/2)
  • Red Onion – Diced (3-4 slices)
  • Mango – Peeled & Diced (1)
  • Fresh Mint or Cilantro – Chopped (1/8-1/4 cup)
  • Lime Juice (2 tbs.)
  • Avocado – Diced (1)
  • Dried Figs – Chopped (8)
  • Walnuts – Chopped (optional)
  • Salsa (optional)

Place lettuce leaves onto a serving tray, open side up. Mix cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, mangos, mint, and lime juice in a bowl. Disburse mixture evenly into lettuce boats. Add  avocado and figs. Try a sprinkle of walnuts and/or a dollop of your favorite salsa on top.

Refrigerate any unused portion.

Note: Leftovers can be chopped into a salad and/or used in a wrap.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Snack: Crispy Chips

What you’ll need:

  • Mountain Bread (Trademark/Australia) – Natural Wraps (2)
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 tsp.)
  • Sea Salt (to taste)
  • Nutritional Yeast (1 tbs.)
  • Cookie Sheet (covered by parchment paper)

Preheat oven to 300. Brush flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and nutritional yeast on top. Cut into even pieces, and place on cookie sheet without overlapping. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Store any unused portion in a paper sack.

Note: These delicate chips are yummy on their own, or they can be eaten with hummus, kalamata olives and baby arugula. They are also great with salsa.

Variations: Before baking, top with chopped olives. Or, top with other spices. Oregano. Cilantro. Curry Powder. Onion Powder. Garlic Powder. Chili Powder. Etc.

Sweet Variation: Before baking, top with cinnamon and sweetener.  Or, top with chopped dried fruits. Apple. Coconut. Dates. Banana. Etc.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Meal: Smashed Potato Bowl (Spicy)

What you’ll need:

  • Large Russet – Boiled & Smashed (see recipe)
  • Leafy Greens – Chopped (1 cup)
  • Tomato – Chopped (1 medium)
  • Veggie Patty – Chopped (I prefer Boca brand)
  • Mustard (2 tbs.)
  • Chili Paste (to taste)
  • Sweetener (to taste)
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk (for consistency)

Layer first four ingredients in bowl, starting with smashed potato. Whisk together last four ingredients and pour over top.

Refrigerate any unused portion.

Note: You can add other fresh veggies such as grated carrot, chopped bell peppers or onion.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Snack: Air-Fryer Shoestring Fries (Skins On)

What you’ll need:

  • Air-Fryer
  • Russet Potato – Scrubbed (1 med.)
  • Olive Oil Spray
  • Sea Salt (to taste)

Slice potato lengthwise into 6-8 slabs. Cut each slab into 6-8 slices. Throw into a bowl and coat with spray. Toss with salt. Place potatoes into air-fryer basket. Set air-fryer for 20 minutes at 385 degrees, tossing/stirring every 7 minutes until desired crispness.

Note: There will be enough to share, or you can eat every single one yourself like I do. I keep the skins on, because they’re loaded with potassium. These fries are delicious as is, but you can spice them up with other flavorings, such as white pepper, curry powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

Additional Recipe: Chili Cheese Fries—Stack shoestrings on a small serving plate, then top them with vegan chili, chopped tomatoes, vegan cheese, black olives, green onions, vegan sour cream, and guacamole.

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Snack: Sweet Biscakes (Mini)

What you’ll need:

  • Bisquick Brand Mix (1/3 cup)
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk (1/4 cup)
  • Ground Cinnamon or Ginger (1 tsp)
  • Sweetener (to taste)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add all ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Consistency will be more pancakey than biscuit.

Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Spoon-drop mixure onto sheet, creating medallion-sized dollops. Leave a little room between each, because the biscakes will expand. (Yields 10-12.)

Bake on middle rack for 5 minutes. Flip biscakes over and press down gently. If they stick, be a little more aggressive with the spatula.

Bake 4-5 minutes more, monitoring carefully to prevent burning.

Biscakes are delicate, so don’t press too hard if/when using a spread.

Refrigerate any unused portion.

Note: Reducing almond milk by 1/6 cup will give you biscuits. Adding 1/6 cup almond milk will create pancakes. I like to bake these, because they’re crispier, and I can make a bunch at once. However, you can griddle them if you prefer.

Suggestions: These treats are delicious on their own but also work as a base. I slather them with vegan butter and fruit jelly. For something fancier, layer biscakes with vegan cream cheese, sliced strawberries, and mint.

Savory Variation, substitute the cinnamon and sweetener with one or more of the following: Sea salt. Onion powder. Garlic powder. Curry powder. Chili powder. Smoked paprika. Cayenne pepper. (Topped w/smokey vegan cheddar and chopped onion.)

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Meal: Four Bean Stew

What you’ll need:

  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (3 tbs)
  • Sweet Onion – Chopped (1 large)
  • Fresh Garlic – Pressed (4 cloves)
  • Red Bell Pepper – Seeded and Chopped (2)
  • Celery – Chopped (4 stalks)
  • Carrots – Peeled and Chopped (4)
  • Vegetable Stock (4 cups)
  • Tomato Paste (6oz can/1)
  • Roasted Tomatoes – (15oz cans/2)
  • Kidney Beans – Drained and Rinsed  (15oz can/1)
  • Pinto Beans – Drained and Rinsed (15oz can/1)
  • Black Beans – Drained and Rinsed (15oz can/1)
  • Garbonzo Beans – Drained and Rinsed (15oz can/1)
  • Ground Coriander (1 tbs)
  • Ground Cumin (1 tbs)
  • Ground Marjoram (1 tbs)
  • Ground Oregano (1 tbs)
  • Ground Tarragon (1 tbs)
  • Sea Salt (to taste)
  • White Pepper (to taste)

In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add bell pepper, celery, and carrots, and cook until soft. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat over medium.

Refrigerate unused portion.

Note: When serving, add chopped green onion and a dollop of vegan sour cream.

Also: If you cube a leftover baked potato into a bowl and pour stew over the top, this becomes a hearty meal.