Tempeh Fajita Rice Bowls

You can add whatever you like to a rice bowl.  The rice is the base of the meal then you can add
as you go.  If you don't like beans, just leave them out or add some chopped tomato and green onions.
If you can't find Temphe, just fry up some tofu -- get creative!

Tempeh Fajita Rice Bowls

1            cup basmati or brown rice  (cook to package directions)

kosher sale

2            bell peppers (any color you like), cut into thick strips

1            large onion in thick rings

3            tablespoons olive oil

freshly ground pepper

1            pkg. Tempeh  (boiled for approximately 5 min. to remove bitterness)

1            can black beans

1            tablespoon fajita seasoning

juice 1/2 lime

1            cup fresh cilantro

1            avacado, sliced

1/2         cup vegan sour cream

1/2       

 cup pico de gallo or salsa

Cook Tempeh in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes, set aside to cool.

Cook rice according to pkg. directions.

Sauce:  put a couple bell pepper strips and 2 outer onion strips in a blender, set aside.

Cut Tempeh in strips and cook in oiled and heated skillet or stove top grill.  Add fajita seasoning, salt and pepper.   Cook until browned.  Take off grill and set aside.

Add a bit more oil to skillet and add onions and bell pepper.  Cook until slightly charred in spots or if using a skillet, tender.  Set aside and squirt with lime juice.

Sauce:  I played around with the sauce a bit and actually added 1/2 avocado, lime juice, 1 garlic clove and water until it reached a desired consistency.  Start with 1/4 cup water and go from there.  Add cilantro for final blend.

Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the cilantro puree or add it to the entire fixed bowl.   Top bowl with some black beans, onion and pepper mixture and cooked Tempeh.

Top with vegan sour cream and salsa.

Date Nut Bread

This is a healthy bread for breakfast but also fills in quite nicely as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

Date Nut Bread

Nom Yourself CB by Mary Mattern

https://www.amazon.com/Nom-Yourself-Simple-Vegan-Cooking/dp/1583335854

1            cup dates, pitted and chopped

1            cup boiling water

2            cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour

1            tablespoon baking powder

1            teaspoon baking soda

1/2         teaspoon sea salt

1/2         teaspoon ground flaxseed meal

3            tablespoons water

2            tablespoons granulated sugar

1            tablespoon vegan margarine, melted

1            teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4         pure maple syrup

1/4         cup strong coffee

1/4         cup chopped walnuts  (I used 1/2 cup)

1/4         cup chopped pecans  (I used 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 9 x 5 x 3” loaf pan and set aside

In small bowl, combine the dates and boiling water and let cool.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and allspice.

In another small bowl, mix the flaxseed meal and water.  Let sit until the flaxseed meal absorbs the water.

Add the sugar, vegan margarine, and vanilla to the flaxseed meal mixture.  Beat for 1 minute.

Pour the flaxseed mixture and dates (with water) into the flour mixture.  Add the maple syrup, coffee, walnuts, and pecans.  Mix until well combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared bread pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center of the oaf comes out clean.

Let the bread cool to room temperature, then remove from the loaf pan and slice.

Buffalo Cauliflower Kale and Romaine Salad

This is from a fun new cookbook I purchased "Nom Yourself" and it's full of delicious looking recipes.  This is the first recipe I tried and it did not disappoint.  I would recommend making the dressing ahead of time and just keep in the fridge.  Can't wait to make this again.

Cauliflower Kale and Romaine Salad

Nom Yourself Cookbook by Mary Mattern

https://www.amazon.com/Nom-Yourself-Simple-Vegan-Cooking/dp/1583335854

Slightly Modified

1             cup water

3/4          cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour

1  1/2      teaspoons garlic powder

1             teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1            medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces

coconut oil cooking spray

2            tablespoons coconut oil

1/2         cup hot sauce (we used a local restaurants homemade sweet hot sauce)

4-6         cups chopped kale and romaine leaves

              sesame seeds for topping

              sliced green onions for topping

              Buttermilk Ranch Dip  (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Mix the water, flour, garlic powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Spray baking pan (original recipe suggested parchment paper but the

     Cauliflower ended up sticking to the paper and was difficult to remove)

Dip each piece of cauliflower into the batter and shake all excess batter off.  Then place the pieces on the baking sheet.  Spray the tops of the cauliflower with coconut oil cooking spray. Do this lightly by holding the bottle about a foot from the cauliflower.

Bake for 17 minutes.

While the cauliflower is cooking, melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the hot sauce and stir.  Once combined, remove the pan from the heat

When the cauliflower is ready, put the florets in a heat-safe bowl and pour the hot sauce mixture over them.  Toss to coat.

Place the cauliflower back on the baking pan or parchment paper and bake for another 5 minutes.

Chop the Kale and Romaine and place on platter.  Top greens with Cauliflower and drizzle with Vegan Ranch Dressing.

Buttermilk Ranch Dip

Makes 2 cups  (I cut in half for this salad)

1  1/2        cups vegan mayonnaise

1/2            teaspoon garlic powder

1/2            teaspoon onion powder

1/4            teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2               teaspoons dried parsley

1/4            cup unsweetened almond milk  (add a little at a time so doesn’t get to thin)

1               teaspoon apple cider vinegar

                 salt to taste

Whisk the vegan mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, parsley, almond milk, and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl.

If the dip is too thin, add more vegan mayo.

Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew with Kale

I realize it's not "Soup Season" but when you have a couple days that are 70 degrees and the nights dip into the 60's,  why not live on the edge and make a nice, spicy pot of soup.

http://www.theawesomegreen.com/sweet-potato-and-peanut-stew-with-kale-food52-vegan/

Tempeh Nachos with Vegan Queso

No real recipe for the nachos except for the Queso that I topped them off with.
      http://smithsvegankitchen.blogspot.com/2017/06/vegan-queso.html

1     pkg. Tempeh, boiled for a few minutes then chopped
       (sautéed Tempeh with taco seasoning in olive oil until browned)
1     can refried pinto beans, heated
1     tomato
       chopped onion
       guacamole (1 avocado, onion and cilantro)
       queso

Placed corn tortillas on baking sheet and layered with refried beans, tempeh and onion.
Baked at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.  Removed from oven and topped with
tomato and queso and a big dollop of guacamole.

Vegan Queso

I haven’t purchased a new cookbook since I did a major purge but this one is worth it.  Lots of ideas and most recipes aren’t too complicated or time consuming and the photos are lovely!  We used the vegan Queso over a big plate of Tempeh Nachos.

Vegan Queso

Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking

3            tablespoons vegan butter or oil

4            cloves garlic, minced

1/4            cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 & 1/4-2            cups unsweetened plain almond milk or other nut/soy milk

1/2            cup nutritional yeast  (can purchase at health food stores or Whole Foods)

1/2            teaspoon sea salt

1/4            teaspoon ground cumin

1/4            teaspoon chili powder

1            tablespoon maple syrup or substitute with organic cane sugar

***1/4 hot sauce – optional

***   I added 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, add the vegan butter and let it melt and start to sizzle, about 1 minute.

Add the garlic and stir to disperse.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat if the garlic starts to brown too quickly.

Add the flour 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk.  Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the almond milk 1/2 cut at a time until it no longer looks thick and lumpy,  about 1 1/4 cups total.  (We made ours a little saucier for the nachos).

Cook in the skillet for 2 minutes, then transfer to the bowl of a high-speed blender.  Add the nutritional yeast, salt, cumin, chili powder, maple syrup, and hot sauce or cayenne pepper.  Blend on high until creamy and smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasonings and liquid.  Transfer back to the skillet and simmer on low for 5 minutes, stirring often, to thicken.

Curry Baked Tofu Salad

Whole Foods makes a Seitan salad you can buy in the deli so I tried to recreate the flavors using Baked Tofu instead.  You can try all different spices if you like a different flavor.  If the dressing dries up a bit while sitting in the fridge, just add a bit

of Agave to freshen up.   This can be eaten alone or on a bed of your favorite greens.

Curry Baked Tofu Salad

1            8 oz. pkg. baked tofu

2            green onions, diced

1            small celery rib, diced

1/3         cup raisins

1/3         cup slivered almonds

              dash of liquid smoke

1            teaspoon curry powder

1/2         teaspoon paprika

1/2         teaspoon garlic powder

1/2         teaspoon onion powder

1/4         teaspoon ginger powder

1            teaspoon oil

1            tablespoon agave

1            tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar

1/2         tablespoon lemon juice

1/2         tablespoon molasses

Prepare your salad items and put in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together.  Mix the dressing with the Tofu and refrigerate.