Breakfast Bake

This dish can be made with any sort of vegetables you have in your pantry.  I always have a half of an onion, or a green pepper lying around waiting to be cooked so this is a perfect way to use them up and it’s fun to come up with different combinations.  Make this for breakfast or as a side for dinner.

Breakfast Bake

Adapted from Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

            Olive Oil & a pat of vegan butter

1/2       onion, diced

1/2       red pepper, diced

2          garlic cloves

1/2       pkg. vegan bacon, diced or soy sausage chopped

3-4       potatoes, I used small yellow onions, diced and soaked in water

            kale, chopped small (couple hands full)

1/2       teaspoon thyme

pinch   rosemary

pinch   red pepper flakes

            salt & pepper

            vegan cheddar cheese for sprinkle on top

            hot sauce -  optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Once potatoes are dice, place in cold water until ready to sauté.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan.  Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute.   Add diced vegan bacon and a pat of vegan butter.  Cook until the bacon starts to get crispy.  Add the red pepper and diced potatoes and cook for 5+ minutes.  Add seasoning and continue to sauté.

Pour mixture into baking dish.  Bake 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.  During the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle the vegan cheese over the potato mixture and bake until the cheese melts.

Hit it with a bit of hot sauce if your feeling extra spicy!

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten Free

This recipe suggests making 6 large cookies but I went a little smaller on mine.  I think the Almond Flour makes these cookies light, airy and a bit flaky.  We are trying to cut back on our gluten in take so we'll be making these again and next time I'm going to try jumbo size.

http://vegan-celiac.blogspot.com/2011/03/moms-delicious-almond-chocolate-chip.html

Vegetable Soup

I call this “What’s in the Pantry” vegetable soup.  This winter just won’t give us a break and soup seems like the appropriate meal – again.  Just add whatever vegetables you have on hand or replace potatoes for the noodles

“What’s in the Pantry”? Vegetable Soup

            Olive oil for sautéing

1          yellow onion, finely chopped

4          stalks medium to small celery stalks, diced

3          carrots, diced into half moons

2          garlic cloves, minced

            Tuscan kale, chopped  (whatever I had left)

6          cups vegetable broth (6 cups water and 2 veggie broth cubes)

            noodles  (I added a cup of Spinach Ribbon noodles)

            dill   (as much as you have), minced

            salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to soup pot and add onion, celery, carrots and garlic cloves.  Salt and pepper the veggies and let sauté for approximately 10 minutes.  I then add the veggie broth cubes and mix around and cook an additional 5 minutes. 

Add water and pasta then turn up to a boil then simmer until carrots are tender, approximately 20 minutes.  Add the kale and dill then serve once kale is tender.

Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

I found this recipe on “It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken” web-site and just had to try it.  I couldn’t find the Jackfruit in the desired water/brine, only in the syrup, so I ordered it on-line.  It’s a bit of a process but you can cut back on time by using your favorite bottled barbecue sauce. 

Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

***The flesh of the jackfruit is starchy and fibrous and is a source of dietary fiber. The flavor is comparable to a combination of apple, pineapple, mango and banana.

http://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/2013/08/23/pulled-jackfruit-sandwich/

Just tried this version and it was relish.   12/01/16

 http://www.moreveganblog.com/2014/06/28/bbq-pulled-jackfruit/

Tempeh Salad

Tempeh Salad

1            block Tempeh, Steamed or boiled just to get the bitterness out

1/2         cup celery, finely diced

1/3         cup minced onion

1/4         cup chopped sweet bread pickles, chopped

1/3         cup vegan mayo

1/8         cup pickle juice

1/2         teaspoon mustard

1/2         teaspoon dried dill

1/2         teaspoon white vinegar

1            teaspoon agave

              salt and pepper

Boil or steam the tempeh approximately 5 minutes, just to get the bitterness out.

Set aside to cool.

Dice celery, onion and pickles and mix together in bowl.  Once tempeh cools, chop finely and add to veggies.

Mix together the dressing ingredients and add to veggies and tempeh.  Season to taste.

Sweet & Sour Brown Rice Salad

We fried up some Tempeh slices in olive oil and vegan butter to have along side this glorious salad.  Can be served as a side salad or entrée. 

Sweet & Sour Brown Rice Salad with Fresh Herbs

4-6 servings  (Seemed to serve more)

Isa Does It Cookbook

Salad

4            cups cooked and cooled brown rice

1            15 oz. can adzuki or red beans

2            cups mung bean sprouts

1            cup thinly sliced scallions

1/2         cup whole roasted peanuts

1/4         cup chopped fresh mint  (I left out)

1/2         cup chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing

2            tablespoons mellow white miso

1            cup sweet chili sauce

1/4         cup fresh lime juice

1            teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1            teaspoon agave nectar

Sriracha, for serving

In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients.

Dressing:  In a small bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix together all of the dressing ingredients.

Drizzle the dressing onto the salad and toss to coat.  Serve with sriracha for some extra heat.

Raw Coconut and Cacao Bites

Kevin brought home a new snack item from the health food store, it’s called Chocolate Snakaroon.  The package description of these sweet morsels, is “Yummy Mound of Coconut Cacao Goodness” and they didn’t let us down.   I scoured the web looking for a recipe that might come close to these snacks and I think I found one.  Check out Ella's site, her food is all gluten, dairy, sugar, meat and all refined and processed ingredients free.  It’s a beautiful blog and worth following!

Raw Coconut and Cacao Bites

http://deliciouslyella.com/tag/vegan-coconut-balls/
http://deliciouslyella.com/recipe/raw-coconut-and-cacao-bites-vegan/

Tempeh No-Meatloaf

This Tempeh Loaf definitely has some unique flavors because of the tahini, soy sauce and nutritional yeast.  I like the flavor but it doesn’t have the same seasoning as a standard loaf so it kind of throws you off a bit.  I added ketchup to the top of the loaf because that’s how my mom does it.

Tempeh No-Meatloaf

(Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook)

2            tablespoons grapeseed oil

2            packages tempeh, crumbled

2            celery stalks, finely chopped

1            carrot, peeled and grated

1            teaspoon dried thyme

1            teaspoon dried basil

1            teaspoon dried oregano

              salt and pepper, to taste

1/4         cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4         cup rolled oats

3            tablespoons tahini

1/4         cup soy sauce

1/3         cup nutritional yeast

1/3         cup ketchup plus some for top

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil a large loaf pan.

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the tempeh, celery, and carrot and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper, to taste.  Cook another 3 minutes and then remove from the heat.  Pour the vegetable mixture into a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs, oats, tahini, soy sauce, yeast and ketchup.  Mash together until well combined.  Press the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.  Bake 45 minutes.  Serve hot.