Cream of Carrot Soup

This soup is a great way to get some nutritious carrots into your system.  I really love the pop of flavor the fresh minced ginger brings to the party.

If you are looking for a new Vegan Cookbook to add to your collection, this one is filled with pretty pictures and the recipes are broken out into Holiday chapters, giving you lots of options. 

Cream of Carrot Soup

Serves 6-8

The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook by ISA Chandra Moskowitz

1            tablespoon refined coconut oil

1            medium yellow onion, diced medium

1/2         teaspoon salt, plus a pinch

3            garlic cloves, minced

1            tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3.5         cups vegetable broth

3            pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2” pieces

1            cup coconut milk from well stirred can (I used whole can)

2            tablespoons pure maple syrup

2            tablespoons fresh lime juice

              freshly ground pepper

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat.  Heat the oil, then sauté the onions with a pinch of salt until lightly caramelized, about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.  Add the carrots, cover the pot and bring to a low boil.  Boil until the carrots are completely softened, about 15 -20 minutes.  Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, and lime juice and heat everything through. 

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup smooth and creamy.  If you don’t have an immersion blender and need to use a food processor or blender, remember that steam can build up in there and hurt you, so lift the lid every few seconds to let steam escape.

Thin the soup with a little water if necessary, then taste and adjust for sweetness, salt and pepper.  **This is when I added the rest of the coconut milk that was left in the can. 

Cool Ranch Taco Salad

We kept our salad pretty basic and didn’t use corn or olives and it was plenty good!  Love the spice combination that is added to the beefless meat.  We used leftover mixture to make burritos the next day.

Cool Ranch Taco Salad

Serves 6

Dressing:

            In a screw-top jar, shake to mix the oil, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne.

2/3         cup vegetable oil

1/4         cup ketchup

1/4         cup distilled white vinegar

1            tablespoon sugar

1/2         teaspoon kosher salt

1/2         teaspoon cayenne pepper

Beefless Mixture:

2            large ears corn or 1.5 cups frozen corn kernels thawed and patted dry.

1            tablespoon canola oil

1            pkg. beefless crumbles (Trader Joe’s, Smart Ground)

1            tablespoon paprika

2            teaspoons ground cumin

2            teaspoons garlic powder

2            teaspoons dried oregano

1            teaspoon cayenne pepper

1.5         teaspoons kosher salt

1            teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1            15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2          cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salad:

1            large head iceberg lettuce, shredded (We used crispy Romaine)

2            beefsteak tomatoes, cut into chunks

1            large avocado, cut into chunks

1/4         cup sliced black olives (optional)

2            cups tortilla chips

1/4         cup chopped red onions

1/4         cup vegan sour cream

If you are going to use the corn and it is on the cob … heat a large dry skillet over high heat until really hot.  Put the whole ears of corn in the pan until the underside is charred, about 3 minutes. Keep cooking, turning two more times, until the corn is charred in spots all over 8-9 minutes.  If using thawed frozen kernels, char them in the dry skillet in a single layer, only stirring once or twice, until slightly blackened, about 6 minutes.

Let  the pan cool a bit  Add the oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering-hot. Add the beefless meat, breaking it up, Cook approximately 5-6 minutes.

Drain most of the liquid from the pan but leave enough to keep the beefless meat juicy.  In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and black pepper.  Add the spice mixture to the beefless meat along with the black beans and 1/2 cup water.  Cook, stirring gently, 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and stir in the cilantro.

Arrange the lettuce in big salad bowl and top with the mixture.  Cut the corn from the cobs and add it to the salad with the tomatoes, avocado, and olives (if using).  Pour the dressing over the salad and crumble the chops all over the top.  Sprinkle with the onion and top with the vegan sour cream.

Red Lentil Soup with North African Spices

Enjoy this Lentil soup with some fresh, warm pita bread and a vinegary salad.  I pureed the soup a bit at the end of cooking and added more lemon juice, but it is not necessary.

Red Lentil Soup with North African Spices

Serves 4 – 6

Vegan For Everybody CB – America’s test Kitchen

1/4       cup extra-virgin olive oil

1          large onion, chopped fine

            salt and pepper

3/4       teaspoon ground coriander

1/2       teaspoon ground cumin

1/4       teaspoon ground ginger

1/8       teaspoon ground cinnamon

            pinch cayenne pepper

1          tablespoon tomato paste

1          garlic clove, minced

4          cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed

2          cups water

1.5       cups red lentils, picked over and rinsed

2          tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning

1.5        teaspoons dried mint, crumbled

1           teaspoon paprika

1/4        cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to vigorous simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.

Whisk soup vigorously until broken down to coarse puree, about 30 seconds.  Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed.  Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste.  (I used an emulsion blender to smooth a little more).

Cover and keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Off heat, stir in mint and paprika.  Serve, drizzling individual bowls with 1 teaspoon spiced oil and sprinkling with cilantro.

Baked Zucchini Rounds

When making these rounds or fries, keep in mind that they don’t store well in the fridge, they get soggy, so make the amount you think you will eat right after baking.

These can be made into fries instead of rounds by cutting   1/2” in thickness and 3-4” in length.  Dip into vegan Ranch Dressing or regular old ketchup.

Baked Zucchini Rounds

The 30 Year Old Vegan Cookbook

1/4            cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/2            tablespoon sea salt, plus extra for seasoning

5-6            grinds of fresh ground black pepper

1/2            teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2            cup aquafaba (liquid from the can of garbanzo beans) (or any egg substitute)

1/3            cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3            cup nutritional yeast

2               medium-sized zucchini

                 vegan ranch dip for dipping or ketchup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a bowl.  Set aside

Combine breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast in a third bowl.

Cut the rounded ends off the zucchini and cut into round discs or long fries.

Coat one fry/round in flour.  Shake off excess flour.  Dip into aquafaba.  Then dip into breadcrumb bowl.  Place fry on rack.  Repeat with remaining fries/rounds.

Bake on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.  Cook for 15-17 minutes or until brown and crispy.

Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with additional salt, pepper, and paprika.  Serve with vegan ranch dip or ketchup.

Spicy Peanut Rice Noodle Bowl

We loved this dish!  If you are a fan of  lime juice, I think adding it at the end of cooking helps to brighten up the flavors.

Also, instead of buying a head of red cabbage, we picked up a pre-washed bag of shredded cruciferous mix from Trader Joe’s, providing a nice variety of veggies.

Spicy Peanut Rice Noodle Bowl

Serves 4-6

Vegan For Everybody CB

1            cup shredded carrots

2            tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (I used regular rice vinegar)

12          ounces (1/4” wide) rice noodles

3            tablespoons vegetable oil

1            cup frozen edamame

1            recipe Curried Peanut Sauce (below)

1            cup shredded red cabbage

1/2         cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped  (I used cashews)

2            tablespoons torn fresh Thai basil

              lime juice  (we added lime juice for final stir in pan

Combine carrots and vinegar in small bowl; set aside.  Cover noodles with very hot tap water in large bowl and stir to separate.  Let noodles soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain noodles.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add edamame and cook until spotty brown but still bright green, about 2 minutes; transfer to bowl.  In now-empty skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering, add drained noodles, 1 1/4 cups water, and 1/2 cup peanut sauce and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and noodles are well coated and tender, about 1 minute.  ***I added the cruciferous at this point till softened. 

Divide noodles among individual serving bowls, then top with carrots, edamame, and cabbage.  Drizzle with remaining peanut sauce, sprinkle with peanuts and basil, and serve with lime wedges.

Curried Peanut Sauce

Makes one cup

1            tablespoon vegetable oil

2            Thai, Serrano, or jalepeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced  (I added

                                                                                    cayenne to mine)

3            garlic cloves, minced

1            tablespoon curry powder

1/2         cup creamy peanut butter

2            tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (I used plain rice vinegar)

2            tablespoons soy sauce

1            tablespoon organic sugar

Heat in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.  Stir in Thai chiles, garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in water, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors meld, about 2 minutes.  Adjust consistency as needed with additional water.  Transfer sauce to bowl.

All-Morning Energy Bars

We are trying to add more seeds and nuts into our daily diet and this recipe packs a variety all into one bar.  It is a nice breakfast bar or snack for in-between meals.  You can even crumble a bit on top of a bowl of coconut yogurt, if you are feeling fancy.

All-Morning Energy Bars

Makes 10 bars

Vegan For Everybody CB

1/2            cup whole raw almonds

1/2            cup raw cashews

1/3            cup raw pepitas

1/4            cup raw sunflower seeds

3               tablespoons whole golden flaxseeds

1               tablespoon sesame seeds

4.5            ounces pitted dates, chopped (3/4 cup)

1/4            cup warm water

2               tablespoons maple syrup

1/2            teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2            teaspoon salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.  Make a foil sling for 8” square baking pan by bolding 2 long sheets of foil so each is 8 inches wide.  Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan.  Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan.  Grease foil.

Spread almonds, cashews, pepitas, sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons flaxseeds, and sesame seeds on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Bake, stirring occasionally, until pale golden and fragrant, 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, grind remaining 1 tablespoon flaxseeds in spice grinder until finely ground, about 15 seconds.  Transfer nut mixture to food processor, let cool slightly, then pulse until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses; transfer to large bowl.  Process 1/4 cup dates, water, maple syrup, orange zest, salt and ground flaxseeds in now-empty processor until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 30 seconds.  Stir processed date mixture and remaining 1/2 cup chopped dates into nut mixture until well combined.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly into even layer with greased metal spatula.  Bake bars until light golden about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.  Do not turn off oven.

Let bars cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Using foil sling, remove bars from pan, transfer to cutting board, and cut into 10 bars.  Space bas evenly on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.  Let bars cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.  Serve.  Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup

Some many new dishes to make from Cauliflower out there but sometimes it's nice to just make a soup.  I like the curry/coconut milk/lime combo in this one.

Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Vegan For Everybody - America's Test Kitchen

1            head cauliflower

1/4         cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

1            leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin and washed thoroughly

1            small onion, halved and sliced thin

              salt

1 and 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1            tablespoon curry power

4 and 1/2 cups water

1/2         cup canned coconut milk

1            tablespoon lime juice

2            scallions, sliced thin on bias

Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem.  Using paring knife, cut around core to remove; slice core thin and reserve.  Cut heaping 1 cup of 1/2 inch florets from head of cauliflower; set aside.  Cut remaining cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat until shimmering.  Add leak, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until leak and onion are softened but not browned, about 7 minutes.  Stir in ginger and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in water, sliced core and half of sliced cauliflower.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 8-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add reserved florets and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes, transfer to bowl and season with salt to taste.

Working in batches, process soup in blender until smooth, about 45 seconds.  Return pureed soup to clean pot and bring to brief simmer over medium heat. Off heat, stir in coconut milk and lime juice and season with salt to taste.   Serve, sprinkling  individual bowls with browned florets and scallions and drizzling with extra oil.