Vegan Pimento Cheese

When I was a kid my step mom always kept a tub of pimento cheese in our fridge.

It completely grossed me out. Not that I ever once tried it, I just somewhere along the line decide I didi’t like it and that was that.

Flash forward to becoming an adult, and it is now one of my absolute favorite things. And now I want to cry for all those lost years where I could have been and should have been eating one of my most favorite foods.

I make a lot of homemade vegan cheese. Often I make a quick coconut cheddar to whip up a batch of pimento cheese and recently posted a recipe for an easy coconut milk pimento flavored cheddar to make the most perfect batch of pimento cheese spread even. If you are feeling frisky and want to try your hand at cheese making, I have over 30 cheese recipes for you to try! You can also any pre made store bought vegan cheese you like.

The secret ingredients to a perfect pimento cheese are onion and vegan cream cheese! The onion adds a new element of flavor and the cream cheese adds more cheese goodness while lending some more creaminess to the spread.

Vegan Cream Cheese

If you like you pimento cheese a little spicy you can add a few splashes of hot sauce to the mix to add some heat as well.

So go forth and make the most delicious vegan pimento cheese. And if you have some preconceived notion that its gross, trust me and just try it. You don’t want to be like me with all those years wasted not eating the most delicious cheesy spread. You just can’t get those years back, y'all!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag of cheddar shreds or one batch of our homemade Pimento Cheddar Cheese

• 1/3 cup vegan cream cheese, homemade or store-bought

• 2 tablespoons of vegan mayo

• 2-3 table spoons diced pimentos, drained

• 1/4 of a small onion diced

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon all purpose greek seasoning (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard

• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well mixed. That's it! It's so easy! Serve on crackers or as a sandwich.

Quick Pickled Beets and Cabbage

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium shredded beet

• 2 cups shredded cabbage

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 3/4 cup of water

• 2 teaspoons salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium skillet, on medium heat

2. Once the cabbage and beets begin to soften, reduce the heat to low and let simmer with a lid on for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

3. After 10 minutes remove the lid. If there is liquid still in the pan, turn the heat back to medium and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated.

4. Cool and serve.

We love to add this to our falafel, but it would be pretty tasty on a sandwich, or just served as a side.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

This recipe will make enough for two dinners for a family of four. Use what is needed for the first night's dinner, then freeze the extra in a quart size freezer bag. The mixture will stay good in the freezer for a few months. To thaw just leave the bag out on the counter for a few hours, or in the fridge for the day.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 small/ medium sweet potatoes

• 1 small onion

• 1/2 red bell pepper

• 1/2 cup salsa or pico

• 1 small can green chilis

• 1 can black beans

• 1 teaspoon each of the following: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• OPTIONAL: 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peel, dice, and boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft enough to put a fork through.

2. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot you boiled them in. Mash the potatoes with a hand masher, or using hand mixer.

3. Cut onion and bell pepper in thin strips, or dice if you prefer. Heat a teaspoon of vegan butter or oil in a skillet on medium heat, and add onions, and peppers. Sauté until the onions and peppers become soft.

4. Mix in the onion and pepper mixture and remaining ingredients into the mashed sweet potatoes, and stir until incorporated.

5. Wipe clean the skillet you used for the onions and peppers, and heat a teaspoon of vegan butter on medium heat.

6. Once the butter is melted, take a tortilla and spread a few spoonfuls of the potato mixture on one side. Fold in half and add two at a time to your skillet. Allow the quesadillas to cook a few minutes on each side, letting them begin to brown and get a little crispy.

7. Continue with reaming the tortillas and serve with vegan sour cream, guac, or salsa.

BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich

These days everyone seems to be making BBQ jackfruit.

As they should! Its and easy and delicious recipe that even omnivores seem to enjoy.

Jackfruit’s texture easily mimics that of any shredded meat! Its super affordable and so easy to work with.

I learned early on when cooking jackfruit that they key is low and slow. The longer you cook it, the more flavorful it will be.

This why I always cook my BBQ jackfruit in a crock pot. It is the easiest no fuss recipes, and turns out perfectly every time.

Pile it up on a sandwich like, this BBQ and slaw slider or just eat it on its own. Either way, we think you will be pretty happy with the outcome!

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INGREDEITNES:

• 2 cans of jackfruit in brine

• 1 bottle of BBQ sauce

• 1/2 package broccoli slaw

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• pepper to taste

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Crook pot method

1. Drain the jackfruit and separate pieces with your fingers to resemble shredded meat.

2. Put the shredded jackfuit along with 1 bottle of BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup water into a crock pot, and cook on medium heat for 5 - 6 hours.

Stove top method

1. Place the shredded jackfruit, BBQ sauce and water in a large pot or dutch oven and cook over medium/low heat, stirring occasionally for 1 hour, or longer if you have the time, on low heat.

To make the slaw, in a bowl, combine the slaw mix and remaining ingredients. Assemble sandwiches with the BBQ and slaw!

This recipes works great for parties. Just substitute hamburger buns with slider buns.

The longer jackfuit cooks in the BBQ sauce, the more flavorful it becomes. I have served it to plenty of meat eaters who were actually surprised it was not meat. I tend to prefer it in the crockpot because it really does become more flavorful cooking all day, but the stove top method works fine too as long as you have time to let it cook low and slow.

Brown Bag "Chicken" Fried Seitan

In the south we fry all the things. Chicken being a big one, but we don’t eat meat, so what are we to do??!?!

Easy y’all, make and fry up some delicious and easy homemade seitan!!

I used to fry my chicken by dumping all the ingredients into a brown paper bag and giving it a big shake. Then I would put in a pan of hot oil, fry it up super crispy, and normally, put it on a fluffy homemade biscuit!

So, once we went vegan, I do the exact same thing, but I use easy homemade seitan instead.

Seitan freezes really well, so you can double the batch, freeze half, and have an easy meat substitute on hand when you need it. You can do so much with seitan. You can obviously bread and fry it, you can slice it and use it in stir fry or fajitas, you can use it in soups and stews…so many ways to use this easy and healthy homemade vegan meat substitute!!!

Vegan biscuits are also a breeze and linked them down in the recipe! My grandmother taught us all how to make biscuits when we were kids, and it’s a skill I have passed on to my kids. I hadto make the recipe vegan, and if she were alive she would probably not be happy with me. But I also like to think if I could convince her to eat one, she might be impressed. Southern women are normally pretty set in their ways, speaking from experience of being a stubborn southern woman, myself.

Anyways, save your brown grocery bags and get to shakin! Crispy brown bag fried seitan is a game changer, and even better on a fluffy biscuit!! I like it with sweet mustard sauce and pickles, but you can put whatever you like not it!!!

Also if you need more instruction on making basic seitan, I have linked a pretty quick video tutorial at the bottom of the page as well. I will give you an idea of the process, and texture if you are new to seitan making! It’s easy y’all, and so, so, so good!!

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NGREDIENTS:

• half batch of seitan

• 1/2 cup of all purpose four

• 2 tablespoons of corn starch or tapioca starch

• 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, onion powder, paprika, and turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, pepper, and ground mustard

• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil

• a paper grocery store bag (you can use a plastic trash bag or a large zip lock as well)

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add the flour, starch, and all the seasoning to the bag. Give it a good shake to mix it up!

2. You should have 2 seitan pieces from your batch. With a very sharp knife CAREFULLY cut the pieces horizontally into 3 - 4 cutlets.

3. Drop the seitan cutlets into the bag and shake, shake, shake, giving a peek to make sure all sides of the cutlets are coated super well.

4. In a deep skillet heat the oil on medium/high.

5. Begin adding the cutlets in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook several minutes per side or until they are crispy.

6. Place cooked seitan on a cooling rack with some paper towels underneath to catch the excess oil and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

7. We use these cutlets on our fluffy southern biscuits, but they are just as amazing slathered with mushroom gravy, and a side of mashed potatoes!

Seitan Buffalo "Wings"

INGREDIENTS:

• half a batch of seitan

• one bottle of buffalo sauce (Check the back for ingredients to make sure there is not dairy. Most brands are fine, though.)

• 3 tablespoons tapioca or organic corn starch

• 3 tablespoons all purpose four

• salt

• 4 - 5 tablespoons of grapeseed oil

• 1 teaspoon of vegan butter (like earth balance)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the seitan in 1 inch cubes.

2. Mix the tapioca (or corn) starch, flour and a few dashes of salt in a bowl.

3. Add the cubed seitan and mix to coat.

4. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add in the cubes in batches, cooking for a few minutes on each side. You want each side to slightly brown and be crispy. You may need to turn them a few times. Place cooked wings on a cooling rack with some paper towels underneath.

5. In a small sauce pan, heat half the bottle of sauce and butter, just until the butter melts.

6. Combine the cooked sietan and buffalo sauce in a bowl until the wings are well coated.

Seitan Philly "Cheese Steak"

INGREDIENTS:

• half batch of seitan (refer to recipe or video)

• 1 package sliced mushrooms, white or baby portabello are fine

• 1 red or orange bell pepper

• 1 medium onion

• 1 teaspoon garlic

• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos

• 1 batch of vegan cheddar cheese sauce or any vegan cheese you like (optional)

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• salt and pepper to taste

Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce:

• 1/2 cups cashews soaked overnight, or covered in water and microwaved for 3 minutes then drained

• 1 cup water

• 2 tablespoons corn starch or tapioca starch

• 1 teaspoon light miso paste

• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon smoke paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut seitan and vegetables into thin strips.

2. Next heat a few teaspoons of oil over medium heat adding the onions once the oil is hot. Sauté for several minutes.

3. Next heat a few teaspoons of oil over medium heat adding the onions once the oil is hot. Sauté for several minutes.

4. Now add the rest of the vegetables and a dash of salt and let those cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Add in the seitan, garlic, coconut aminos, and seasoning and saute until all of the vegetables are cooked though and the seitan begins to brown, around 5 minutes.

6. TO MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor, and blend until completely smooth.

   Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium pot and heat on medium/ low heat, whisking continuously until the cheese begins to thicken to a queso consistency. If it gets too thick, you can add a little more water to thin it back out.

7. Use any kind of sandwich/hoggie bun or bread you like. I often buy french bread baguettes and cut them. French bread should be plant based and often the other options in the grocery store bakery are not.

8. Add the philly mixture to the buns and top with cheese sauce.

Seitan Fajitas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 batch of seitan cut into thin strips

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 small carton sliced mushrooms

• 1/4 cup cilantro

• 1 lime

• 1-2 teaspoons of cumin and chili powder

• salt and pepper to taste

• sliced jalapeños (optional)

• corn or flour tortillas

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a few teaspoons of oil  on medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes.

2. Add the seitan and the seasoning along with the juice from the lime.

3. If you are adding jalapeños add now and continue cooking for 5 minutes or  until all of the vegetable are cooked through.

4. Chop cliantro and sprinkle on top. Serve with tortillas and toppings.

TOPPINGS:

• pico or salsa

• guacamole 

• vegan sour cream

• lettuce

• vegan cheddar shreds like Follow your Heart brand

• thinly slice onions, peppers, and seitan

Seitan

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1/2 of a small onion

• 1/4 cup of all purpose or whole flour

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon mustard powder

Cooking liquid:

• 4 cups of water

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos

• 3 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Refer to our seitan video for further instruction and to watch the process

1. Add all of the seitan ingredients in a food processor and mix until it forms a ball of dough. This normally takes a few minutes. You want a dough you can pick up and handle. Once it is all incorporated and has formed a dough, remove and kneed (you may have to sprinkle some additional flour on your work surface if it seems extra sticky) for several minutes.

2. Cut the ball of dough into 4 pieces, flattening each piece into a disc shape.

3. Bring the cooking liquid ingredients to a boil in a large pot.

4. Add the seitan and let it simmer on medium/low heat for one hour, flipping the pieces once or twice while cooking.

5. Once its done remove and let it cool before storing it in the fridge.

Seitan will stay good in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or it can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Veggie Tofu Quiche

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 block of organic extra firm tofu

• 1 tablespoon almond or coconut milk (you may need to add another tablespoon or two depending on the brand of the tofu)

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

• 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli

• 1 medium onion diced

• 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil

• 1 handful of any fresh green you like kale, spinach, mixed greens, dandelion greens, etc

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon salt

• pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• One ready made vegan pie crust. Most store bought pie crusts are actually vegan. Just make sure you read the ingredients first. You can either use the kind in the refrigerator section that requires your own pie pan, or one in a disposable pan in the freezer section.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wrap tofu in a kitchen towel or a few paper towels and put a heavy plate on top for five minutes to pull out some of the moisture.

3. Break the tofu into pieces and place it in a food processor or high speed blender.

4. Add the tablespoon of milk and mix until the tofu is a smooth consistency.

5. Heat a pan on medium heat and add the oil.

6. Once the oil is hot, add the vegetables and sauté for a few minutes or until the onions become translucent.

7. Mix the tofu, vegetables, and seasonings in a bowl until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

8. Add the tofu mixture to the prepared pie crust and bake for 30 minutes, or until the center seems firm.

9. Cut and serve. Store left over quiche in the refrigerator.

"Cheese" and Bean Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:

• 1 can organic, drained, diced tomatoes

• 1 small can of green chilis

• 1/2 onion

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Add all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend for 2 minutes.

Enchiladas:

• 1 can of vegan refried beans

• 1 cup of white queso

• 6 - 8 whole wheat or corn tortillas

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Spread 2 tablespoons of beans and 1 tablespoon of queso into a tortilla.

2. Roll the tortilla and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

3. Line all of the tortillas up in a 9x13 baking dish.

4. Drizzle 1/4 to 1/2 cup of queso on top of the tortillas then pour half of the sauce on top of the cheese sauce.

5. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

6. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, guacamole, salsa, vegan shredded cheese, or any other topping you like.

7. Freeze the other half of the sauce in a zip lock bag and use it later.

Vegan Cashew Queso

This is hands down the best vegan queso I have ever had, and I have eaten a lot!

Growing up I would beg my parents to go out to eat at our local Mexican restaurant just for the white cheese dip. Nothing changed when I grew up, and I often just went to eat the chips and dip.

Seriously cheese was my struggle going vegan and missing my favorite cheese dip was extra hard.

Then one day I was cooking up a cashew cheese sauce for something else and had half a pot leftover. I walked by with a chip and randomly dipped it in and nearly lost my mind….why had it not occurred to me sooner. I dumped in a can of green chilis and some hot sauce and my world was forever changed!!

I mention using sauerkraut in the recipe and I need you to hear me out. Sauerkraut is fermented and tangy…like cheese. I am often asked if miso can be replaced or omitted and it can, with the kraut. I personally always add kraut to all of my cheese sauces for an extra tangy kick. You would NEVER EVER IN ONE MILLION GAZILLION YEARS guess it was in there. Try it! Trust me. If I have not earned your trust by now, I think we need might need to look into some couples counseling. Just saying.

This dip is sooooo good that util life got too buys I made weekly batches of it for neighbors and friends. Non vegan neighbors and friends! Everyone loves it and is always shocked it’s vegan.

It’s smooth, creamy, spicy, cheesy, perfection in a bowl.

Use it as dip, a filling for enchiladas with refried beans, in quesadillas, or on nachos!! Because we are adding tapioca starch, the longer you cook this cheese, the thicker and stretchier it will become. So if you want to use it for an enchilada or a quesadilla, just cook it a bit longer. And if you accidentally cook it for too long and need to thin it out, just whisk in more water. Easy peasy. Don’t panic.

Just remember DON’T STOP WHISKING WHILE IT COOKS. This will ensure you get a super creamy and smooth queso, Lumpy queso is weird and unappealing and nobody wants that now do they?

This queso will keep for about a week, so it’s perfect for weekend meal prep, or keep a batch in the fridge for quick and easy weeknight dinners.

I think this calls for a celebrations, so might as well whip up a batch of margaritas while you are at it, and cheers to being able to eat the best chip dip on the planet once more!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cashews soaked in hot water for one hour or microwaved for three minutes

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 2 teaspoons of miso paste, or 2 tablespoons sauerkraut without the juice

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 5 tablespoons of tapioca starch, corn starch, or arrow root powder

• 2 cups of water

• 1 small can of chili peppers

• A few shakes of your favorite hot sauce

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients, except the chilis and hot sauce, to a high speed blender or food processor.

2. Process and blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth (no lumps at all).

3. Transfer the mixture to a medium size pot and cook on medium heat, stirring with a whisk continually until the mixture thickens.

4. Once the queso gets to a pudding like texture, remove it from the heat, and mix in the chilis and hot sauce.

5. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

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My favorite vegan cookbook is “Veganize It!” by Robin Robertson. I adapted her recipe for cashew “cheese” sauce and created this queso. If you omit the hot sauce and chiles, you will be left with a very versatile white “cheese” sauce.

Carrot Dogs

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 - 8 peeled carrots

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos

• 1 table spoon maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon of the following: garlic powder, salt, mustard powder, smoked paprika, turmeric

• 3 teaspoons liquid smoke

• 1 tablespoon grape seed oil

• 2 tablespoons water

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Boil the peeled carrots until they are soft enough to pierce with a fork, but be careful not to overcook them.

2. Remove from water and cool.

3. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large zip lock bag, then add the cooled carrots.

4. Let the carrot marinade in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. I normally prepare the carrots in the morning and they are ready by dinner. The longer they marinate, the more flavorful they will be. You can let them marinate for a day or 2 as well.

5. Once the carrots have marinated, they are ready to grill! If you can not grill them, you could alternatively heat them in a skillet for several minutes until cooked through.

Fluffy Vegan Southern Biscuits

I was raised in the south. Both of my parents were born in raised in Alabama and my mom grew up on a farm. Most of my childhood memories involving my Grandmother are in her kitchen or watching the occasional episode of Hee Haw, but mostly in the kitchen. My grandmother cooked three meals a day and every one of them included homemade biscuits or cornbread. She taught any of her grandkids that were willing to learn how to make her biscuits, and it is my most cherished recipe. I have adapted my grandmothers recipe to make our biscuits vegan. My grandmother always used buttermilk but we have added just a little vinegar to our plant based milk to make it curdle and give it that butter milky zip. I also use vegan butter instead of shortening like she used, and I am pretty sure if she were alive I would get an ear full about that! But for the most part, I make them just like she taught us, and they are perfect as far as I am concerned. A light, fluffy, buttery, southern staple that any good southerner ( or anyone who knows anything about anything) should be baking up all the time. My Grandmother would be so proud to know that a little piece of her kitchen was making its way to so many people. I just wish she were alive so I could tell he how much everything she taught me has meant to me, and how she helped shape me into who I am now, and so I could give her one more hug. I love you Grandmama.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour plus 1/2 cup flour

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 cup of vegan butter like Earth Balance

• 1 1/2 cups plant based milk, I prefer almond or oat milk for baking

• 1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 450 DEGREES

1. Add 3 cups of flour, baking powder and salt to bowl and mix with a whisk, making sure it is mixed well.

2. Add the butter using your hands to mix it into the dry ingredients, using your fingers to break up the butter until the mixture becomes crumbly.

3. Pour vinegar into the milk and let it sit for a few minutes. Now add milk into the mixture, again using your hands, mix the milk in. THIS IS IMPORTANT: do NOT over mix. You want everything combined, but stop once you get to the point that the dough can be handled. It will likely still be sticky, but the less you mix it, the fluffier the biscuits!

4. Sprinkle some of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour onto a clean work surface. Sprinkle enough flour over your dough to be able to handle it.

5. Gently pat the dough out on your floured surface until it's about an inch or so thick. Using a biscuit cutter or glass , cut circles out of the dough, patting down the scraps until all of the dough is used.

6. Place biscuits together on a backing sheet. It helps them to rise if they are touching.

7. Bake biscuits for 10-15 minutes. Once they begin to brown on top check them by pulling one away to see if they are baked through.

These are perfect topped with Chicken Fried Seitan, vegan butter, jam, jelly, or tofu scramble. 

IF you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Angel Biscuits

Vegan Deluxe Biscuits and Gravy

The Jax Biscuit Sandwich