Quinoa Black Bean Veggie Burger

If you have been on the hunt for a healthy, and hearty homemade veggie burger, I think we have what you have been looking for. This smokey, flavorful burger is packed full of veggies, with protein rich quinoa and black beans. This burger will leave you full, and satisfied with little guilt.. They also freeze really well, so this veggie burger is also great for meal prep! So fire up the grill and give this healthy and delicious burger recipe a try!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa

• 1 cup bread crumbs or panko

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1/2 red onion

• 1 cup carrots

• 1/2 cup shredded beets

• 1 and 1/2 cups broccoli

• 1 can drained and rinsed black beans

• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

• 1 flax egg

• 1/2 - 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 - 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Dice veggies and sauté in pan with preferred oil until tender. Rinse and drain beans, and add them to the veggies while sautéing.

2. Once veggies and beans are done, put them in a food processor or blender and pulse, just to break them down and mix them up a bit.

3. Mix quinoa, bread crumbs, and tomato sauce in large bowl.

4. Combine veggies with quinoa and bread crumbs.

5. Add spices and flax egg and mix until combined.

6. Add flour a little at a time, just until it has thickened up a bit and you can form burgers.

7. Form burgers and cook in skillet or grill until cooked through. About 10 minutes or so.

This recipe will make around 10 burgers. These burgers freeze nicely as well, making them a perfect recipe for meal prepping.

Vegan Fried Dough Dippers (funnel cake fries)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 and 1/2 cups plant based milk
• 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• powdered sugar for sprinkling

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together, then mix in milk and vanilla.
2. Put batter into a quirt bottle (I used an old school ketchup bottle from the dollar tree) or a zip lock bag with a small hole cut in the corner, so the batter can come out.
3. Heat a half inch of oil suitable for frying in a pan until it is sizzling hot. (I use grape seed oil, but you can use peanut, or canola, whatever you normally use for frying)
4. Squirt out batter into a squiggle or any other shape you want, and let the dough fry just a minute or two on each side.
5. The dough will fry quickly, so once it begins to bubble, and the bubbles pop, its ready to flip.
6. Put finished dough on a cooling rack or paper towel- lined plate.
7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with your favorite dip.

Easy chocolate dip

Option 1:

Melt 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vegan chocolate chips with 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at at time, stirring well each time until fully melted

Option 2:

Mix 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and a few teaspoons powdered sugar. Stir well until the sauce is completely smooth.

Carrot Corn Dogs

INGREDIENTS:

The carrots

• 6 - 8 peeled carrots, cut in half. 
• 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
• tablespoon grape seed oil
• 2 tablespoons water

The batter

• 1 to 1 1/2  cups dairy free milk
• 2 flax eggs
• 1/3 cup pickle juice
• 3 tablespoons dijon or regular mustard 
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

The carrots

1. Boil 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 marinate 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. 

The batter

1. Mix the wet ingredients together in a small bowl starting with one cup of milk.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a larger bowl.
3. Add wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. If the mixture seems too thick, then add a little more milk. You the batter to be thick, but thin enough to easily dip the carrots into.
4. Once  the batter is all mixed up, pour some into a mason jar, tall glass, or pyrex measuring cup. This makes dipping the carrots easier than if you try dipping them in the bowl.
5. Remove carrots from marinade and poke a popsicle stick into the fattest end of the carrot. It helps if you first piece the end with a sharp knife. 
6. In a medium sauce pan, deep skillet, or deep frier, heat enough oil to fully cover the corn dogs. I suggest frying with grape seed oil or peanut oil. 
7. Once the oil is nice and hot, reduce the temp to medium/low.
8. Dip carrots in batter making sure they are completely covered. I dip each one right before it goes into the oil.
9. Add 1 to 2 corn dogs to the oil at a time. If you do more than one at a time they may stick together depending on the size of your pot or pan. 
10. Fry each corn dog for a few minutes, using tongs to grasp the popsicle stick so you can turn them several times until they begin to get golden brown all over (unless you are using a deep frier with a basket, in which case just fry until they are golden brown). Then place finished corn dogs on a cooling rack while you finish frying the rest.

I normally have some batter left over. I like to use the leftovers to make a batch of onion rings. Just slice a large yellow onion and dip rings in remaining batter. Fry in the already hot corn dog oil until golden brown.

Easy Chia Pudding

 I really love chia seed pudding because it is so simple, delicious, and versatile. You can add all kinds of flavors or toppings to this healthy pudding, depending on your mood. You can always divide the batch between small mason jars and let your family customize their own! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups almond, coconut, or oat milk
• 3/4 cup chia seeds
• 1-2 table spoons maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put all ingredients into a large glass mason jar, or any container with a tight fitting lid.
2. Stir well and store in fridge for at least 5 hours, or until the pudding has thickened.
3. Check on the pudding throughout the day, giving the container a shake (hence the tight lid,) or stir from time to time. The seeds like to settle on the bottom of the container before it begins to thicken. A good shake or stir will help.
4. You  can also add a little spice like cinnamon or nutmeg if you like. If you want chocolate pudding, you can add a few tablespoons of dark cocoa powder. You can also add a little vanilla, almond, or coconut extract for flavor. 
5. Top your pudding with chopped nuts, fresh fruit, vegan chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or anythings else you may like!

Vegan crab puffs

These little “crab” puffs are so delicious and addictive that you may not be willing to share. But if you can find it within yourself to let a few go, they will make a perfect party snack, or even a wonderful topping to a light summer salad.

I love to use jackfruit to mimic crab! I use it in our crab cakes, and even vegan crab rangoons. Jackfruit is mild in flavor with a hint of sweetness, so it works perfectly to take on the flavors of the spices in these crab puffs. The texture is also pretty spot on for lump crab meat, so it is the perfect imitator when trying to recreate vegan versions of crab recipes!

These vegan crab puffs are so tasty and so cute, they will not last at a party or even at your dinner table. We also included a recipe for a horseradish aioli that is perfect for dipping these tasty little bites that is beyond delicious!

I also like the crab puffs as a topping for a salad in the summer or just a light dinner on their own, not party required!

So if you are looking for the perfect light summer time bite, give these crab puffs a try! I don’t think you will be sad you did, and you might surprise a few friends who may not ever even guess these puffs were vegan!

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INGREDIENTS:

Crab Puffs:

• 1 can of jackfruit in brine

• 3 tablespoons vegan mayo

• 1/4 finely chopped small onion

• 2 to 3 teaspoons dulse flakes

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Batter:

• 2 flax eggs

• 1/4 cup dairy free milk

• 1/4 cup of beer or club soda

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drain jackfruit and add pieces to a food processor, pulsing a few times to break up. Be careful not to over process. Just pulse enough to break up the pieces to resemble crab meat.

2. Mix jackfruit and remaining puff ingredients into bowl until well incorporated. Make sure you can form a ball with the mix that holds together. If the mix seems too wet, add a little more panko. If it seems too dry, add a little more mayo.

3. Form balls from the mixture with a small cookie scoop or small spoon, and place on a cookie sheet.

4. Place cookie sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes so the crab puffs firm up.

5. Mix all of the ingredients for the batter together in a medium sized bowl.

6. In a deep skillet, begin heating an inch of oil over medium heat.

7. While oil is heating, remove crab puffs from the freezer and gently dip one at a time into the batter. You don’t want them falling apart so be careful to just get them coated then remove from the batter.

8. Work in batches depending on how many will fit in your pan at one time. Coat what will fit and pop the rest back in the freezer.

9. Fry each batch for about 5 minutes until the they are golden brown all over.

10. Place cooked puffs on a cooling rack on top of a paper-towel-lined cookie sheet, and keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

11. Continue coating and frying the remaining puffs, storing finished puffs in the 200 degree oven.

12. Serve finished puffs with a side of horseradish aioli. (recipe below)

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Horseradish Aioli:

• 1/3 cup vegan mayo

• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 scallion finely chopped

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together for the aioli, and server on the side with crab puffs.

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Vegan Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

What is your favorite recipe to make in the summer when fresh sweet corn is in season?

Mine is Elotes, or Vegan Mexican Street corn.

I love sweet summer corn and when it is in season I will try and use it as often as I can. I am always game for an easy corn salad, or a summer grit bowl with tempeh and fresh corn, but Mexican street corn will always be my favorite way to use up in season corn.

We have used vegan mayo and plain vegan yogurt to turn this popular street food into a vegan summer time staple. You could also use vegan sour cream if you can not find plain yogurt. Either should work just fine! And don’t forget to make or buy some vegan parmesan cheese. We normally make our own but these days most grocery stores sell a vegan version in the refrigerated cheese section.

You likely have most of the spices in your pantry, just grab a lime and fresh cilantro and you will be good to go! Well and maybe a margarita, or maybe thats just me.

So fire up the grill and start shucken, because I promise you are gonna want to make this recipe all summer long!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4-6 ears of corn

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1/4 cup vegan plain yogurt

• 1 lime

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Shuck and clean each ear of corn, then prepare them for the grill by spraying each one with a little olive oil and squeezing juice from half the lime over the tops.

2. Heat your grill and add corn, grilling for 10 - 15 minutes, turning a few times to get all side grilled, just be careful not to let them burn.

3. In a bowl mix mayo, yogurt, and juice from other half of the lime, garlic, salt, and 1 teaspoon paprika.

4. Once corn is off the grill, brush each ear with your mayo mix, saving some of the mix for drizzling over your corn.

5. Mix parmesan and cilantro on a plate and roll each ear of corn in the mixture.

6. Lay corn out on a serving dish and drizzle with remaining mayo, and sprinkle with the remaining paprika.

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup raw cashews 
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put all in ingredients into a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
2. Store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Smoky Cashew Cheddar

Hard vegan cheeses are easier than most people think.

Agar is vegan gelatin that you can easily find online or in your local asian food market that helps the cheese to solidify. You can find it in powdered or flake form.  

I love this recipe because you can slice and even shred this cheese. If you are not a fan of smokey cheeses, just eliminate the liquid smoke and you will still be left with a tasty cheddar, perfect for sandwiches, cheese plates, tacos, and more.

 Also this recipe uses triple filtered coconut oil. I buy mine at Trader Joe's. Triple filtered coconut oil does not have a coconut flavor like regular coconut oil, so if you choose to use regular, you may find the cheese will have a hint of coconut flavor to it.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons dry cashews

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon onion powser

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teapspoon liquid smoke

• 1 and 3/4 cups almond or coconut milk

• 8 teaspoons of agar powder

• 1/4 cup triple filtered coconut oil

• 2 teaspoons light miso paste

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a food processor, combine cashews, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic, paprika, and turmeric. Pulse until the nuts are well ground. DO NOT OVER PULSE. You don’t want to end up with cashew butter.

2. In a medium sized sauce pan, combine milk, agar, and oil, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. You want the mixture to thicken to a thin pudding like consistency.

3. Add the liquid mixture to the nut mixture in the food processor, along with the miso, liquid smoke, and vinegar.

4. Mix for a few minutes until all of the ingredients are well incorporated, and smooth.

5. Pour the cheese mixture into 2 - 3 ramekins or small bowls, and let cool uncovered in the refrigerator for serval hours to firm up.

6. Store in an air tight container for up to one week in the refrigerator.

Slow Cooker “Chicken” & Dumpling Stew with Jackfruit

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans jackfruit in brine

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 3 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup cashews plus 1 1/2 cups water

• 1 tablespoon corn starch

• 7 cups water

• 2 teaspoons vegetable or no chicken Better Than Bouillon (you can use 7 cups of vegetable stock in place of water and better than bouillon )

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 batch fluffy southern biscuit dough (minus 1/8 - 1/4 cup milk)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare fluffy southern biscuit dough minus 1/8 - 1/4 milk. You want this dough a little firmer than the biscuit dough so adding a little less milk will help the dough be more firm. You just need to be able to handle the dough without it being too sticky.

2. Once the dough is made, pat it out into a 1/2" thick oval and cut the dough into roughly 1 inch by inch dumplings.

3. Drain and shred 2 cans of jackfruit using a fork or your hands.

4. Mix 2 teaspoons of vegetable Better Than Bouillon with 7 cups of water, or you can use 7 cups of vegetable broth.

5. In a microwave safe container (I use a large glass pyrex measuring cup) microwave the cashews and 1 1/2 cups of water for 3 minutes.

6. Add the cashews, starch, and water to a high speed blender or food processor, and blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and resembles heavy cream.

7. Set your slow cooker on medium heat and begin adding all of the ingredients except for the dumplings.

8. Once everything but the dumplings are in the pot, give it a good stir. Now add the dumplings in a single layer on the top of the stew. You may have dough left over depending on the size of your slow cooker. If you over crowd them, they will all stick together. You can always bake the extra dough into biscuits.

9. Allow the stew to cook for 7 - 9 hours. You may have to give the stew a stir in the middle of the cooking process to make sure the dumplings are getting cooked through.

10. Store leftovers in fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month.

Tofu or Seitan Marengo with Lemon Polenta

 

This recipe was adapted from a Cuisine Magazine recipe I got years ago. It is always a crowd pleaser, and tastes like you spent hours making it. In reality, its actually fairly quick! The original recipe used chicken and bacon. The liquid smoke in this recipe replaces the bacon helps give the dish that extra layer of smoke, while using either tofu or seitan works great as a protein substitute. It is common to also serve Marengo with eggs or rice.  You could easy substitute the polenta for tofu scramble or rice.

INGREDIENTS:

Marengo

• 1/2 batch of seitan or 1 block of extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup organic corn starch
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 2 cups sliced yellow onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable Better Than Bouillon
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Lemon Polenta

• 2 cups almond or coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2  cup corn meal
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 2 - 3 teaspoons lemon zest

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cube seitan or tofu into 1 inch cubes. If using tofu, wrap in some paper towels and place some books on top for 15 minutes to remove excess liquid.
2. Mix flour and starch in a bowl and toss in tofu or seitan until fully coated.
3. Heat a half inch of oil in a large deep pan or dutch oven, and fry seitan or tofu on each side until begins to brown and is super crispy.
4. Remove from pan and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
5. Add sliced onions and salt to the  same pot you just used to cook the tofu or seitan, and cook in the same oil for 2 - 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, parsley and wine and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
6. Whisk water and Better Than Bouillon together (you could use vegetable broth as well if you do not have better than bouillon) add it, tomatoes in the juice, liquid smoke, olives, and tomato paste to the pot.
7. Let the merango simmer for 5 minutes, stirring a few times to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom.  
8. Now add back in the seitan or tofu and let simmer for another 10 minutes, again giving it a few stirs. The starch from the seitan or tofu will help the stew thicken.
9. Serve on top of lemon polenta and garnish with lemon zest.

Lemon Polenta

1. In a medium pot add milk, water, and corn meal, salt and garlic and whisk until combined.
2. Cook on medium/low heat until the polenta begins to thicken, about 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Once it has thickened, stir in the lemon zest and serve, topping the polenta with the Marengo

Nut Free Vegan Mac 'n "Cheese"

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package macaroni , noodles regular or gluten free

• 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled

• 2 medium to large carrots

• 1/2 onion

• 1/2 cup sauerkraut

• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 2 teaspoons miso paste

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper

• 1/4 cup cooking liquid from vegetables

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Dice and boil potatoes, carrots, and onion until softened

2. Add cooked and drained vegetables to a high speed blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients.

3. Blend on high until completely smooth

4. Mix sauce with cooked noodles and transfer to a 9x13 baking dish

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until the top begins to brown.

6. Optionally you can add bread crumbs, vegan shredded cheddar, or both to the top before baking!

Southern Dill Potato Salad

My mom has always made the best potato salad, hands down, no exceptions, the best!

She is southern, from Alabama, and at every family get together when I was a kid, she was in charge or potato salad.

She always added boiled eggs to hers, and would slice the eggs and make a smily face on top with the help of some mustard. It was cute…but we con’t eggs so my versions is well, less cute, but just as tasty.

My mom uses mayo, mustard, and dill pickles in her potato salad so not too hard too veganize.

I do shake a little black salt in mine sometimes to give it that eggy flavor without the eggs. My friend Yanira adds some firm tofu to hers to give it that egg texture. In case you wanna give that a whirl.

But even without the egg, sulfury black salt, or tofu, this recipe is beyond delicious and the only potato salad recipe I ever make. I just don’t see any point with messing with perfection!

So thanks mom for making this recipe all my life and not being mad that I turned it vegan. It still taste like home to me!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups red potatoes cut into large cubes

• 1 small red onion

• 3 stalks of celery

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles

• 2 tablespoons of pickle juice

• 1/3 cup of vegan mayo

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 - 2 teaspoons all purpose seasoning like Cavender’s or Trader Joe’s 21 season blend

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Boil the potatoes until they are cooked through but before they get mushy.

2. Drain potatoes and let them cool completely.

3. In a small bowl mix the mustard, mayo, spices, and pickle juice.

4. In a large bowl mix the potatoes, chopped onion, celery, and pickles.

5. Put the mustard/mayo mix over the potato salad and mix.

6. You can serve right away or refrigerate and serve cold!

Beyond Meatball Subs

Beyond meat brand burgers are truly amazing. They really are one of the closet to "meat" substitutes available in stores right now. What I love most about them, is that you can thaw the patties and use them in place of meat in a TON of recipes. Each patty is 1/4 pound so 4 will equal a pound of meat. They are not hard to find, a lot of stores carry them now.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 thawed Beyond Beef burgers

• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (a mix of thyme, sage, basil, marjoram, rosemary, and oregano) if you do not have Italian seasoning feel free to add a combo of any of the listed spices

• 1 teaspoon tomato paste

• 1 flax egg

Sauce

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 small 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes

• 1/3 red wine (optional)

• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Meatballs

1. Mix thawed burgers, panko bread crumbs, garlic, spices, and flax egg together in a bowl.

2. Once well combined, form meatballs with a small scoop, or spoon, and place them on a baking pan. You can line the pan with parchment paper for easier clean up.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sauce

1. Sauté onions and carrots in 1 teaspoon of oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt, in a large pot for 5 minutes.

2. Add the wine, and let it cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the remaining ingredients, and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add the cooked meatballs, and let simmer in the sauce for 15 minutes.

5. Use whatever bread you like to make the sandwiches. We typically buy a baguette, and cut it into sections. French bread is often plant based. Just be sure to read the label.

6. Add the meatballs to the bread, and top with any kind of plant based cheese you like. We prefer Follow Your Heart brand because it tastes good, and also melts.

7. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet in the oven on 350 until cheese melts.

8. You can also add some vegan parmesan on top before serving.

Smoky Carrot Lox

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 carrots peeled into wide ribbons

• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos

• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons of seaweed flake (optional)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Toss carrot ribbons with the aminos, smoke, salt, and seaweed.

2. Make a long pouch out of foil and wrap up the carrots making sure the foil is all sealed up.

3. Place foil pouch on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes.

4. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Use on bagels with your other favorite toppings.

Tofu Egg Salad

i often will whip up a batch of tofu vegan egg salad sandwiches for get togethers or bbqs. It is so easy to make and often times people have no idea that it is vegan. I also like to make some on the weekends to keep in the fridge for a fast weekday lunch. I love it on crackers or even on salads. The addition of black salt will give it a more convincing egg taste but you don’t have to use it. It is a surfer salt and smells and taste of eggs. You can often find it at specialty spice shops or online.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cube extra firm organic tofu

• 1-2 teaspoons turmeric (depending on your preference, I like more, some people like less)

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 3 tablespoon diced pickles (plus a teaspoon of pickle juice)

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1 tablespoons yellow mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon black salt (optional)

• salt and pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wrap drained tofu in a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels, and place a few books, heavy plate, or can on top for 5 - 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.

2. Place tofu in a bowl, and crumble with hands or a fork.

3. Add in the mayo,spices, pickles, and pickle juice. Mix well.

4. Store in an airtight container in fridge for 3 - 5 days.

Crispy Fried Tofu

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 block of organic extra firm tofu

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons tapioca starch, organic corn starch, or arrow root powder

• 1 teaspoon of salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels and place a few books, heavy plate, or cans on top for 5 - 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.

2. Cut the tofu into one inch cubes.

3. Mix the flour, starch, and salt in a bowl big enough to also hold the tofu.

4. Add the tofu to the bowl and toss with your hands or a large spoon until all pieces are evenly coated.

5. In a large skillet, heat a quarter inch of oil until sizzling.

6. Add the tofu pieces, being careful they don’t touch, or the starch will cause the pieces to stick together.

7. Fry on each side for several minutes or until all sides are nice and crispy.

8. Place tofu on a cooling rack with some paper towels underneath for a few minutes before serving.

SERVING IDEAS

Cover in you favorite sauce and add it to stir fry.

Add some garlic powder, and paprika (or any other spice you may like) to the flour mix before coating and serve as "chicken" nuggets.

Cover in buffalo sauce for vegan wings.

Use to top salads or add to sandwiches and wraps.

Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner Tofu Scramble

This recipe works just as well for a quick dinner, as it does a hearty breakfast. The basics are easy! Just add your favorite veggies and sides, and you will have dinner in under 30 minutes!

INGREDIENTS:

The basic scramble:

• 1 block of organic extra-firm tofu (wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels with a heavy plate or some books on top for 5-15 minutes to remove the excess moisture)

• 2 teaspoons turmeric

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons liquid aminos

• salt and pepper to taste

Optional Add-Ins:

• chopped onion

• peppers

• mushrooms

• broccoli

• tomatoes

• greens

• seitan

• vegan shredded cheese

• hot sauce

• vegan cheddar sauce

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To make the scramble first take the tofu and either break it into a crumble with your hands, or in a blender or food processor. You just want it to resemble scrambled eggs.

2. Next add all of the spices, nutritional yeast, and coconut aminos to the the tofu in a bowl, and mix well.

3. If you are adding vegetable, add 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on medium heat, and begin cooking the veggies until they begin to soften.

4. Next add the tofu to the pan of vegetables. You may need a little extra oil if the tofu seems to be sticking. You can also add a few extra splashes of amnios if the mixture seems dry.

5. Heat until the tofu is warmed through and you are ready to eat!

Here are some ways to enjoy your scramble:

• Put it on southern biscuits.

• Put it on toast

• Eat it with crispy potatoes

• Serve with a side of vegan grits

Vegan "Meaty" Cheddar Queso

In college I waited tables at popular casual dinning restaurant. Not naming names, but one of our jingles involved baby baby ribs, and customers thought it was hilarious to ask us to sing it.

But hey, the job got me through college!

One of our most popular appetizers was a chili queso dip in a skillet, and I probably ate my weight in this dip before I was vegan. I have not eaten that dip in forever, but I think of it often and knew I needed to try and create a vegan version.

This one did not disappoint, and I can still eat my weight in it! You can use any store bought meatless crumble, vegan sausage, or you could even use your own vegan crumble recipe.

I love to roll up warm flour tortillas and dip them into this cheesy, spicy, magic! It also makes a delicious enchilada or quesadilla filling!

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INGREDIENTS:

Cashew Queso:

• 1 bag of frozen spicy meatless crumbles or vegan sausage (we like Beyond Meat brand, but use your favorite) or one package of vegan chorizo ( I like Trader Joe’s soy chorizo)

• 1 cup cashews soaked in hot water for one hour or microwaved for 3 minutes

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 teaspoons of miso paste or 2 tablespoons sauerkraut with out the juice

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric

• 1 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1/4 cup of tapioca/corn starch or arrow root powder

• 2 cups of water

• 1 small can of chili peppers

• a few shakes of favorite hot sauce

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients except the, crumbles, 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. Heat the crumbles in a pan until cooked.

6. In a baking dish or smalls cast iron skillet, combine the queso and cooked crumbles. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

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Serve with chips, rolled tortillas, or veggies. Add to burritos or enchiladas. 

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, and meat you will be left with a very versatile cheddar “cheese” sauce.

Strawberry and Walnut Spring Salad with Tofu Citrus Scallops

I used to love scallops, won’t even lie about it. So when I learned that tofu can be marinated and seared to mimic the texture well enough of my once favorite seafood, I was pretty jazzed.

One of our favorite local restaurants always has a tofu scallop option on their vegan menu and that is where I realized there are so many options for this idea.

Searing the tofu and topping a spring salad is something we do fairly often around here.

It’s quick and easy, protein packed, and filling. The savory tofu scallops mixed with the light strawberry, citrus dressing, and buttery pecans is just perfect combo for a light and healthy lunch or dinner.

You can change up the fruit based on seasons or nuts based on presence. Blueberries, fresh peaches, even dried cranberries would be delicious additions to this easy salad!

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INGREDIENTS:

The Salad:

• 1 bag of arugula, baby kale, spinach, or spring salad mix

• 2 cups of sliced strawberries

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 1/3 cup of walnuts or pecans

• 1/4 of red onion sliced thin

The Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon agave

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• pinch of salt and pepper

The Tofu Scallops:

• 1 block organic extra firm tofu

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos

• 2 teaspoons honey

• juice from one lime

• 1 teaspoon garlic powser

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Remove tofu from package and wrap in a few paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place a few heavy cookbooks or a plate on top and let the tofu sit for five minutes to remove excess liquid.

2. Cut tofu in half, length wise, and then either cut into one inch cubes, or use a one inch circle cutter to form “scallops” from the tofu.

3. Mix the marinade ingredients into a shallow baking dish and add tofu in single layer. Let tofu marinade for half an hour turning the pieces over after the first 15 minutes.

4. Add all salad ingredients into a large bowl and toss.

5. Whisk dressing in a small bowl and set aside.

6. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, begin adding the tofu and pour remaining marinade over the pieces. Cook a few minutes on each side. You may have to turn them several times to get them to brown on top.

7. Toss salad in the dressing and add the tofu scallops on top to serve.

Jackfruit Crab Cakes

If ever you were a fan of crab cakes before going vegan, then I have just the recipe for you!

When we first became vegan I kept seeing recipes for vegan crab cakes made from hearts of palm and artichoke hearts. Both would give you that crabby texture, but so would jackfruit, even more so in my opinion than an artichoke heart, and you would get a hint of sweetness that crab has.

So I decided to split the difference and use canned jackfruit in brine, paired with hearts of palm to get the perfect texture and taste for a seriously delicious vegan crab cake!

These vegan crab cakes have the perfect crab meat texture with a just a hint of fishy flavor accomplished with some seaweed flakes and old bay seasoning! They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!

I have fried these both in oil and in my air fryer with success. Actually when I created the recipe I did not own an air fryer. When I later purchased one, I was far too excited to try these out in it! Well, it works just fine and cuts back on all the extra calories you get from oil frying. Not that I am anti oil frying because I am not. I do however love the ease and convenience of my air fryer. I also love the how easy it is to clean. That might be my most favorite thing about it acutally.

You can serve these vegan crab cakes on their own with a salad and a side or make the best crab cake sandwich with them! Either way I think you will be pleased and glad you made them!

So get crackin…not literally, because there are not actual crabs required to make these!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can of jackfruit in brine

• 1 can hearts of palm sliced

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1 flax egg

• 1 celery stalk finely chopped

• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped

• 2-3 teaspoons dulse flakes (seaweed flakes)

• 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/3 cup of panko bread crumbs

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• pepper to taste

• preferred oil for frying

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Drain jackfruit and hearts of palm. Add both along with the seaweed to you food processor and pulse until pieces are broken up and resemble crab meat.

2. In a bowl combine the mixture from the food processor, flax egg, mayo, onion, celery, garlic, old bay, salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Using a medium sized scoop or a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop mixture and form a patty shape. You will get 8-10 crab cakes depending on scoop size.

4. In a shallow bowl or dish, add bread crumbs and carefully coat the crab cakes, lightly pressing the crumbs into the cakes without flattening them.

5. Line up crab cakes on a cookie sheet and pop in the freezer for half and hour. This helps them firm up so they will be easier to handle and fry.

6. Heat 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in a medium skillet until oil is good and hot. It should sizzle when you put your first cake in.

7. Fry the cakes for a few minutes on each side, before flipping. You want them to get golden brown and crispy. Work in batches careful not to overcrowd the pan.

8. Once done frying, place the crab cakes on a cooling rack with some paper towels underneath to cool and remove excess oil.

9. Serve crab cakes on their own or as a sandwich with horseradish aioli.

Serving size 6-8

Horseradish Aioli

• 1/3 cup vegan mayo

• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 scallion finely chopped

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve