Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad (Elote Salad, Esquites)

I love vegan elote. Vegan Mexican Street Corn is a favorite side dish of mine but since nobody near us makes a vegan version, it is something we had to start making at home once we were no longer vegetarian.

Making your own elote is pretty easy! You just need to grill or roast the corn, brush it with some vegan crema, sprinkle it with some seasoning and vegan cheese, and give it a squeeze of lime. Most elote has a chili powder seasoning mixture on it, but since my family doesn’t like spicy, we used smoked paprika instead.

Recently I was thinking about how to make vegan elote a little easier to serve. For say a party or even for my kids who waste so much corn when attempting to eat it off the cob. So I thought why not just turn the elote into a salad. I would just grill the corn, cut it off the cob, mix all the yummy goodness together in a bowl and be done with it. And that is what I did.

This is not a new thing, its just the first time I thought to do it then learned when you make it like this. It’s called esquites!

Not rocket science, not recreating the wheel here, just making something we already make pretty often a little easier to serve to kids or at a get together or pot luck.

You can grill or roast your corn in the oven, which ever you prefer. We use vegan sour cream or plain yogurt to replace the creama, mixed with vegan mayo and sprinkle vegan parm on our corn, and it is DELICIOUS!!

If corn is in season, this the BEST summer side dish! Trust me, even if you have never had elote (Mexican street corn) you need to try it. It is just about one of the best things! Period!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned

• Juice from 1-2 limes, depending on taste and size of limes

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 2 tablespoons vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt

• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese, store bought or homemade

• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4-1/2 cup copped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Shuck and clean the corn.

2. Grilling: If you want to grill the corn, just heat up your grill, give the corn a little spray of cooking oil and grill until the corn starts to get some good color on it, around 10 minutes, turning a few times durning grilling. Remove from the grill and let it cool.

3. Oven roasting: heat oven to 400 degrees. Place corn on a baking sheet. Place on top oven rack and let it bake, turning it a few times while baking unit it gets nice color on it. It should only need 10-15 minutes in the oven. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

4. CAREFULLY cut the cooled corn off of the cob. I like to place the cob in a shallow bowl or pie plate and cut the corn off the cob with a sharp knife in a downward motion, allowing the bowl to catch the corn kernels.

5. Mix the corn and remaining ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and serve at room temperature or cold. Store any leftovers in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Macaroni Salad

Vegan Elote, Mexican Street Corn

Crunchy Ramen Salad

Vegan Cheeseburger Egg Rolls with Beyond Meat

The other day I stopped by my friend Bevin’s house so my daughter could drop off a beautiful piece of toddler art for her best friend, who happens to be Bevin’s son.

We are in the thick of social distancing at the moment so it was a quick stop to wave between a glass door, drop off the lovingly crafted popsicle, yarn, cupcake liner, BFF rendering she created, cry a little, and wish we could actually hang out, and spend time with the people we love and miss.

This all sucks to say the least. And hopefully one day I will read back over this recipe, read this blurb, and life will be normal again and social distancing will just be a word of the past. A horrible thing that happened and we all survived. But as I write this, life is weird!

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So when I stopped by and Bevin opened the door to quickly grab the picture, the most amazing smell wafted from the house..and I was all “what in the world are you cooking, that smells crazy good?!?!” The answer was CHEESEBURGER EGG ROLLS!! WHAT?!?!?! How has she not told me about this sooner!?!

Bevin is a vegetarian so gave the the basic run down of what she did to make them…and I went right home knowing I was making them the next day!

Bevin and I both used Beyond meat in the recipe. She mentioned diced onions and pickles so I added those as well. I used vegan cheddar shredded cheese to make them vegan and added a few spices and a dash of vegan Worcestershire sauce just like I would if were making vegan burgers. These days it is really easy to find vegan egg roll wrappers as well. My how times have changed.

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Bevin baked her cheeseburger egg rolls, but I live to fry…I mean I’m southern, so I fry all the things, regardless of the knowledge that this is not exactly healthy…but moderation y’all, moderation. That said, I also really do love the ease of my air fryer and the lack of mess involved..also that whole “its healthier” thing. So, I often try any fried recipes I make both ways. Pan fried with oil and in the air fryer. Results are in and it works both ways y’all. I actually really liked the air fried version but my husband preferred the pan fried vegan egg rolls. I think the wrappers cook up really crispy in the air fryer but the texture is more spring roll-ish to me when cooked that way. But I wouldn’t turn away either option. Bevin warned that when cooked in the oven the wrappers were a little weird. So if you decide to bake them, don’t say we didn’t tell you. (the picture below is the air fried version)

These vegan cheeseburger egg rolls are now, without a doubt, my new favorite thing to do with an egg roll wrapper. They are SOOOOO FLIPPING GOOD! I used cheddar shreds but you could use whatever cheese you like. I also loaded them with pickles because I LOVE PICKLES. If you hate pickles, we are not friends, and you can leave them out. You could always add diced mushrooms and some vegan swiss or provolone. That would be amazing too.

We dipped ours in mustard and ketchup but how good would these be dipped in vegan 1,000 island…like a vegan Big Mac egg roll…Y’all….next batch I’m 100% dipping them in 1,000 island dressing.!!!

So everyone says thank you to the beautiful, brilliant, clever, Bevin. Without her, I wouldn’t be sharing this recipe. Although I wish this whole stupid social distancing thing would end and Bevin and I could be eating these together, with our crew of kids laughing and playing and being the goons they are…soon I hope, soon!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb vegan ground meat, I used Beyond ground

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

• 1/2 cup finely diced dill pickles

• 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar, homemade or store-bought

• 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion salt

• 1 package vegan egg roll wrappers

• neutral flavored oil for frying. I used grapeseed oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add the diced onions, pickles, vegan ground meat, Worcestershire sauce, onion salt, and garlic powder to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the vegan meat is cooked through and onions are soft and translucent. Set aside and allow to cool for a bit.

2. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in 1 cup of vegan shredded cheddar cheese.

3. Lay out the an egg roll wrapper to look like a diamond (points up and down) and scoop a heavy handed tablespoon of filling into the center. Fold the bottom corner up, then fold in the sides, and roll away from you. Continue until you used all of the filling. You will have a few wrappers left over.

4. Pan Frying: Heat a large skillet with a few inches of oil. Once oil is good and hot, add a few egg rolls at a time, letting them cook on each side unit crispy and brown. Place finished egg rolls on a wire cooling rack that you have placed on a paper towel lined cookie sheet. Continue until all vegan cheeseburger egg rolls are fried.

5. Air Fryer: Place egg rolls in air fryer and give them a light mist of oil. Cook at 375 for about 10 minutes or unit golden brown and crispy.

6. Server with a side of ketchup and mustard, or vegan 1,000 island for dipping.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Fried Cheese Grits

Vegan Fried Mac and Cheese Balls

Vegan Chorizo Empanadas

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Vegan Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Chocolate and peanut butter go together, well, like chocolate and peanut butter.

It’s a classic combo that is one of my all time favorites.

So making vegan buckeyes was a no brainer, right!?! I mean they are everything good. They are chocolate, they are peanut butter, and they are sweet, sweet, tasty goodness.

What is a buckeye you might ask. Well, it is simply a chocolate covered peanut butter ball that is made to resemble a nut from a Buckeye tree, which happens to be the state tree of Ohio. Growing up in Georgia, this was not a commonly seen treat. But every year when we went on vacation up in the North GA mountains, we would visit a fudge shop that sold them, and that is where I first fell in love with a buckeye.

Why do I love these vegan buckeyes? Well they are easier to make than a peanut butter cup for starters. No little muffin pan or tiny cupcake liners required. Just mix the ingredients, roll into a ball and dip in chocolate. Ready in minutes!! Who doesn’t love dessert that only takes MINUTES! Seriously, they are actually dangerous and if you are currently on a diet please don’t send me hate mail. I still love you and didn’t mean to make you mad. I just wanted to share the love of vegan buckeyes.

I really only buy crunchy peanut butter because it reigns supreme. You can use whatever nut butter you have. Peanut, almond, you could even use SunButter. Allergy friendly vegan buckeyes can exist, y’all! Everyone rejoice now (excluding again those on a diet, again my apologies!)

Also mine are never pretty. Like I always see pictures of perfect buckeyes, mine are NOT perfect…my ability to roll a perfect ball, and perfectly dip a vegan buckeye so that it doesn’t puddle or have drips is seriously lacking. And here I am just trying to keep it real for y’all and admit that I don’t make a perfect buckeye, but they taste amazing and THAT IS JUST FINE!!! Own your shortcomings, and do not give a flying flip if those shortcomings mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Who cares if they are pretty, They are gonna last like point 5 seconds any ways before they are devoured!

Vegan Buckeyes. Vegan peanut butter balls. Vegan chocolate dipped peanut butter balls. Whatever you call them, just make some, eat them, share them, don’t share them, hoard them for yourself, freeze them for portion control, don’t freeze them for portion control….whatever. Just know you can make them vegan and they are mighty tasty. Everything in moderation, y’all. Thats my motto.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegan melted butter

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon plant milk may be needed

• 8 oz vegan chocolate chips, or chopped vegan chocolate

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer add the powdered sugar, peanut butter, and melted butter. Beta on medium speed until the mixture resembles cookie dough. If it is crumbly and not coming together to look like the picture, add a little bit of milk, but you should not need more than one tablespoon.

2. Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out the mixture. Roll each scoop into a ball and place on parchment lined cookies sheet. Pop the cookie sheet into the fridge for about 20 minutes.

3. After 20 minutes add the chocolate along with the talbespoon of coconut oil to a microwave safe container. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring each time unit all of the chocolate is melted.

4. Dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate and place back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Place finished buckeyes back into the fridge for the chocolate to harden. Once the chocolate has hardened, place the buckeyes into an airtight container and store in the fridge.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Chocolate Covered Boozy Cherries

Vegan Valenine’s Candy

Dairy Free Oreo Balls

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies

I will choose a vegan blondie over a vegan brownie every single time.

Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate, love it, but I just feel like blondies are underrated and need more attention in this world.

I feel like everyone has a vegan brownie recipe. Except me. I don’t. Maybe one day I will, and that statement will be irrelevant. I don’t know. There are so many wonderful vegan brownie recipes out there, that I have never felt compelled to make my own.

Vegan blondies are another story all together. I love creating new variations of blondies and these vegan peanut butter and jelly blondies are easily a favorite.

Not just my favorite, but my kids, my husband, and anyone else I have ever shared them with!

They are gooey, chewy, buttery, and nutty. You can use any jam or jelly you or your family likes. I like raspberry. You can bake a big 9x13 pan or half the recipe and bake a smaller pan (but seriously, why would you do that?!?!?! they are too good for a half batch!) You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, but I prefer crunchy!

I imagine, although I have not tired it, you could use sunflower butter as well if there is an allergy issue. I have baked SunButter cookies once for St. Patricks day because they turn green. The chlorophyll in the sunflower seeds reacts with the leavening and turns the baked good green. This is fun for St Patricks Day but maybe not everyday. So If you do use SunButter in this recipe and it looks like your blondies spent a little too much time at the pool this summer, don’t worry, they will still taste great. And if my chlorine/blonde/ green hair joke was lost on you, then you are one of the blessed few to never turned you hair green in middle school by swimming too much and not washing your hair enough.

These vegan blondies are fun and delicious. They are also easy to make. So that can be dangerous! I suggest going ahead and making a full batch, though. Even if you don’t want them for yourself, you will earn some real big neighbor or friend points by sharing these tasty vegan peanut butter and jelly blondies!!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups all purposes flour

• 2 cups brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• pinch of salt ( the vegan butter is normally pretty salty)

• 1 cup vegan butter, melted and cooled ( I used Earth Balance)

• 1 and 1/4 cup peanut butter, divided ( creamy or crunchy work fine)

• 3/4 cups any jelly you prefer, I used raspberry

• 2 vegan egg replacers ( I used Bobs brand) or flax eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Optional: chopped peanuts for the top. Coarse sea salt for the top.

*you can easily half this recipe and bake in an 8x8 pan instead for a 9x13 if you want a smaller batch of blondies

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. In a small microwave safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup of peanut butter for a minute or so, just until it has melted. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl if using a hand mixer, add the peanut butter, brown sugar, butter, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until well combined.

2. If using powdered egg replacer, mix according to package instructions. If using fax egg, mix 2 tablespoons ground flax with 6 tablespoons water. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until it has a jelly like texture. Add the egg replacers and vanilla to the above ingredients and mix until combined.

3. Add the flour a little at a time and mix on low just until it’s all incorporated.

4. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, allow some paper to hang over the edges. If you do not have parchment you can prepare the pan by lightly coating in oil or vegan butter and giving the pan a dust of flour and shaking out any excess.

5. Add the batter to the pan evenly.

6. In a small bowl add the remaining 3/4 cups peanut butter. In another small bowl add the jam or jelly. If they jam is thin and spreadable already, you will not need to heat it. If not, pop the bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds or so. You just want it warm enough that it will spread easily. Do the same with the peanut butter. You just want it warm and spreadable, NOT melted!

7. Dollop peanut butter and jelly, alternating between the two over the top of the batter. Using the edge of a butter knife, drag through the top of the dollops in a swirl motion to create a marbled effect. If you wish to sprinkle added chopped peanuts or sea salt to the top, do so now.

8. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 45 mintures to one hour, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

9. Allow the blondies to cool before cutting. Recipe yields 12 nice sized blondies. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Chocolate Orange Cake

Vegan Maple Pecan Blondies

Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

I think you either love eggplant or you don’t.

I would eat eggplant everyday, all the time, anyway you served it to me. Vegan eggplant parm being my fave!

My family that is pretty divided on issue. My neighbors Yanira and Dustin are fans however, and now when I want to bake up a big pan of vegan eggplant parm, I just take 1/3 of it to them!! And truly I just can’t understand why, WHY, my kids don’t adore this cheesy, gooey, saucy, perfect dish like I do.

Next to a “meatball” sub, vegan eggplant parm is hands down my favorite Italian dish. And before I was vegan it was the dish I always ordered when we went out to eat Italian.

I like it best when it is cooked in layers like a lasagna. I like to cut into multiple layers or perfectly fried eggplant, gooey cheese, and marinara. I also like it with a nice big side of pasta!

And here is the thing, vegan eggplant parm is actually easy to make. It’s a little time consuming, so if you have your heart set on a quick weeknight, 30 minute dinner, this isn’t it. You could however prep this vegan eggplant the night before and pop it in the fridge. That way it would be ready for the oven when you get home from work or whenever you are ready to bake it. You can also divide the recipe bake it in two smaller dishes, and pop one in the freezer for later! Especially if you are single or have a smaller family and don’t need a 9x13 pan of eggplant parm at one time.

The all purpose vegan cheese sauce that is used in the this recipe is my go to for dishes like this. I use it for vegan lasagna, to top pizza, for making enchiladas, quesadillas, Mac and cheese, and even grilled cheese. I make a lot of vegan cheese and have almost 40 vegan cheese recipes on the the site including sliceable and shreddable mozzarella, but for recipes like this vegan eggplant parmesan, you want a super gooey, melty vegan cheese, and this cheese sauce is exactly what you want. Its magic and you WILL probably find yourself licking the pot. I don’t judge!!! This vegan cheese sauce recipe easily becomes a staple once you make it and learn the magic that it is. It is cashew bases BUT you can easily swap sunflower seeds in and equal amount if you are allergic or to save money. Its still just as good!!

So if you have been wanting, needing, craving, vegan eggplant parm, get to it! It is saucy, fried, baked, cheesy comfort food with a side of carby noodles for good measure. So basally it’s food perfection by my standards!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium sized eggplants

• 1 batch Easy all purpose vegan cheese sauce

• 2 cups vegan breadcrumbs or matzah meal for Passover

• 1 cup plant based milk

• 1/2 cup vegan plain unsweetened yogurt

• 1/3 tapioca or corn starch

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese, homemade or store bought

• neutral flavored oil good for frying

• pasta noodles (we use spaghetti noodles)

MARINARA SAUCE:

• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 1/4 cup red wine

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon each, thyme, rosemary, basil, salt

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

*if you don’t want to make your own sauce from scratch you can mix your favorite jar or pasta sauce with one drained 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, and 14 cup wine

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by preparing the All Purpose Cheese Sauce and setting aside.

2. Next make the sauce by adding the diced onion to a medium sized pot with a teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Let the onions cook until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and red wine. Stir and let the onion, garlic, and wine cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and spices and reduce the heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer while you prepare the eggplant.

3. Next, wash and slice the eggplant lengthwise about 1/4 of an inch thick.

4. Set out three shallow dishes or pie plates. In one dish add the starch. In another add the plant milk and yogurt whisked together. In the last dish add the breadcrumbs, salt and garlic powder.

5. First dip a slice of eggplant in the starch, making sure to cover it completely. Next dip in the milk mixture, and finally into the breadcrumbs, again making sure each piece it coated.

6. Place a metal cooling rack on top of a paper towel lined cookie sheet. If you do not have a cooling rack you can place a few paper towels on a cookie sheet. Placing the fried eggplant onto the cooling rack allows excess oil to drip off and helps keeps the eggplant crispy. Place near stove.

7. Heat a few inches of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, add 3 or 4 slice of eggplant at a time, depending on pan size. Allow each piece to fry on each side for a few minutes or until each side is crispy and golden brown. Repeat with all remaining eggplant, placing fried pieces onto the cooling rack.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

9. To build the eggplant parm, add about 1/2 cup of marinara to the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Next add a layer or eggplant. Add sauce to the top, then spread a thin layer of cheese sauce over the marinara. If the cheese sauce has gotten too thick after cooling, add a few tablespoons of water and reheat, whisking the water in. The cheese sauce will thin it back out once reheated so it will spread easily.

10. Repeat this process of layering eggplant, sauce, and cheese, the top layer ending with cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with vegan parm, and a little dried basil if you like. Place pan on middle oven rack and bake for about 45 minutes.

11. If you are serving with pasta, cook according to package directions 20 minutes before eggplant is finished baking.

12. Slice as you would lasagna and serve with a side of pasta.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

The Perfect Vegan Lasagna

Beyond Meatball Filled Bread Bowls

Vegan Stuffed Crust Pizza

Easy Vegan Cream Cheese

Give me all the vegan cream cheese!

I love bagels, I love cheese cake, I love cream cheese danish, I love cream cheese frosting.

I can not imagine a world where I can not eat cream cheese!

This being said, vegan cream cheese can be expensive. I have a few brands I love, but I do not love the price!

I have made several variations of vegan cream cheese over the years and have never been too impressed. I mean, plenty of the recipes I tried might have tasted fine, but if they were cashew heavy, I wasn't saving a whole lot of money making my own. If they were tofu based, they tasted too much like tofu to me.

So fast forward to now, and me trying to fall asleep, but being distracted by planning out my next morning’s breakfast. Yes, this is something I do most nights…go to sleep thinking about what I will eat when I wake up. It’s a problem….Anyways, I was thinking about a carrot lox ( carrot lox is sooo easy by the way, follow the link to our simple but delicious recipe) bagel and vegan cream cheese, except it’s Passover at this moment and I can’t have a bagel. So I settled on a carrot lox matzah BUT it is also currently a pandemic, and I have not found vegan cream cheese at a store in weeks. The odds were stacked against me here.

BUT, I had a thought! I could wake up and try a NEW vegan cream cheese recipe idea. I could take the parts I like about different brands and different recipes of cream cheese I have liked, and try to make a perfect homemade cream cheese that won’t cost me an arm and a leg!!!

I decided to MIX cashews and tofu. I could get the cheesy, creamy element from the nuts but use way less, and I could get the texture that I like the tofu without it being all tofu. Surely it would work!!

And it did! This cream cheese is better than any other I have tried to make, in my opinion. I used like a quarter of the nuts I used to use when making just a cashew based cream cheese, and the nuts mixed with the tofu cut the raw tofu flavor, while yielding a perfect texture!

If you allergic to nuts you can sub out the cashews with sunflower seeds! This works well in just about any cashew cheese recipe!

I also add sauerkraut because y’all, I add it to almost all of my vegan cheese. It is a really easy and healthy way to give your vegan cheeses a fermented, tangy kick. Trust me with this. Once you try it, you will ALWAYS add sauerkraut to all of your vegan cheeses. Soft cheese, hard cheese, cheese sauces. Just start looking at sauerkraut as a vegan staple. Even if you would never eat it on its own, its a vegan cheese secret weapon.

So if you have been looking for an easy and delicious vegan cream cheese recipe, I think I have all you need right here!! I do hope you love it as much as I do.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 block super firm tofu, 16oz (the the kind that is vacuum sealed in little water)

• 1/2 cup cashews or sunflower seeds if you have an allergy

• 2 tablespoons sauerkraut, not the juice

• 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup refined/filtered coconut oil, melted

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by adding the cashews to a microwave safe container. Cover the nuts in water and microwave on high for 3 minutes. If you do not have a microwave you will need to soak the cashews in water for at least a few hours. Drain the liquid from the microwaved/soaked cashews.

2. You will need a high speed blender, or a food processor for this recipe. Add all of the ingredients to the blender or processor. Blend on high, using your blender’s plunger to move the ingredients around, or use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides serval times during the process to make sure everything is getting nice and blended up. Depending on the machine you are using, the amount of time you need to blend will vary. The goal is a nice creamy and smooth consistency. I use a vitamix and it takes several minutes. I use the plunger pieces to keep pushing the ingredients down into the blender and moving them around. I also pause the blending several times and scrape down the sides.

3. Taste the mixture. If you want it to have more tang you can add another teaspoon or so of vinegar.

4. Store the cream cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze this cream cheese.

5. You can mix in diced green onions or chives, diced berries, cinnamon and a few pinches or sugar, anything you like!

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Easy Vegan Homemade Bagels

Vegan Triple Coconut Cheesecake

Vegan Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Nut Free Vegan Queso with Rotel

Making cheese dip with velveeta cheese and a can of Rotel is common place where I come from. Like every “taco” night include that queso. Every pot luck had it simmering away in a crock pot.

It is easy, and back in the day I thought it was delicious.

This vegan queso isn’ that…but it does have a can of Rotel in it, and it is delicious!

Rotel, diced tomatoes and chilies

If you are not familiar with Rotel, its basically just canned tomatoes and chilies. It comes in a variety of spicy heat levels, from mild to habaneros. So you can choose which level of spice you like!

I keep a few cans of rotel in my pantry mostly out of habit, but also because it is delicious and easily adds that spicy zip to queso, chili, enchiladas, and more! You could use a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of diced chilis if that is all you can find! It would work as well.

I make a lot of varieties of vegan queso, cashew being my base staple, and even already have a white “cheese” sunflower queso recipe on the site, but I wanted to make something more cheddar like, with some kick and some bite.

So I pulled out a can of Rotel and decide to use some sunflower seeds to make this vegan queso more affordable, allergy friendly, and super easy!

As much as I adore my original cashew queso recipe , I think this is a new family favorite. I like that it is a little spicier than my other quesos, but just as creamy, cheesy gooey, and delicious! Even my husband who normally isn’t a fan of spicy stuff, loved this queso….so if it’s Dave tested and approved, then trust me (errr him,) its good!!!

So give this vegan sunflower seed queso a try! I think you will be happy you did!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, plus water for soaking

• 1 can of Rotel

• 1 Rotel cans worth of water (just fill the can after you dump out the tomatoes)

• 2 tablespoon tapioca starch

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons sauerkraut, no liquid (you can sub wit 2 teaspoons miso paste as well)

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons smoke paprika

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place sunflower seeds in a microwave safe container and cover with water. Microwave for 3 minutes. You can also soak the seeds in hot water for a few hours if you do not own a microwave.

2. Drain the water from the seeds. Add the seeds and remaining ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor .

3. Blend until completely smooth and liquefied, with no bits of seeds still visible.

4. Transfer the mixture to a medium sized pot and heat over med /low heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens to a queso consistency. Remove from heat once it has reached desired consistency. It will continue to thicken as it heats. if you get it too thick you can add a bit more water to thin it back out.

5. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can reheat this queso a microwave, or on the stove top. Once again, if it seems too thick when you reheat, you can add a splash of water or plant milk to thin it back out.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Easy Vegan All Purpose Cheese Sauce

Vegan Smoky Sunflower Cheddar

Vegan Cashew Queso

Vegan Slow Cooker Brisket

Slow cooker roast is the thing I used to ask my mom to make me ever time she came to visit before going vegetarian then vegan.

My moms roast is better than your moms roast….I mean, that’s maybe kinda of mean, and maybe your moms roast is amazing…so, never mind.

But once you stop eating meat, your moms roast is a thing of the past and you only have memories of the smell and the nostalgia of it all.

Truly my favorite part was always the veggies more than the meat. I LOVE potatoes and carrot that have been cooking in a crock pot all day!

But these days I make a pretty mean vegan brisket, and after many disappointing attempts at a vegan roast, it finally dawned on me that I should just try and use my brisket. The brisket is made with vital wheat gluten and jackfruit. It is covered in a spice rub and is actually one of my favorite seitan recipes! So instead of wrapping in foil to cook in the oven, I seared it, and made my moms roast recipe, just meatless…..and it was amazing.

I cooked my roast for 6 hours on high heat. One thing I have noticed is not all slow cookers/ crock pots are created equal and some cook faster and seemingly hotter than others. My moms crock pot cooks so much faster than mine. So keep an eye on the roast. You may only need to cook it for 5 hours.

This brisket roast is tender, flavorful, and delicious. The veggies are just as good as moms roast veggies and that part made the happiest of all.

Just because you give up meat does not mean you have to give up recipes you always loved. Recipes that remind you of home and family and growing up. You just have to learn how to adapt those old recipes into something new and vegan! This brisket will hopefully bring you back to memories of your favorite old slower cooker roast recipe.

I hope you and your family will enjoy this recipe as much as we have! Happy eating, y’all!

INGREDIENTS:

You will need slow cooker/ crock pot for this recipe.

BRISKET:

• 1 can jackfruit in brine

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten

• 1/4 cup tapioca starch

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Better than Bouillon

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 2 tablespoons oil ( I used grape seed)

• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 2 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

DRY RUB:

• 1 teaspoons dried rosemary

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 2 teaspoon dried thyme

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 russet potoates

• 1 yellow onion

• 5-6 carrots

• 4 cups water

• 1 tablespoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine

• 2 teaspoons each, thyme, and rosemary

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 or 2 bay leaves, optional

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Chop the jackfruit in your food processor by pulsing a few times.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and mix for a minute, until a sort of dough forms.

3. If you do not have a food processor, finely chop the jackfruit using a sharp knife. In a medium bowl add the jackfruit and remaining ingredients. Using your hands, (I promise its just easier) mix all of the ingredients together until a dough forms. Knead the dough by hand for a few minutes.

4. Form the dough into a sort of oval shape, mimicking a brisket.

5. Mix up the ingredients for the dry rub in a bowl.

6. Pour dry rub into the middle of a clean surface like a cutting board. Take the “brisket and roll it in the rub to cover all sides.

7. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and give it a spray with some oil. Once it is nice and hot place the brisket into the skillet letting it cook on each side just a few minutes to sear the “roast.” This step just helps give the outside a firmer texture and helps keep the outside coating on while in the crock pot.

8. Wash the veggies. Quarter the potatoes, carrots and onion.

9. Set you slow cooker to med/high heat for 6 hours. Add the water, wine, seasoning, garlic and bouillon to the pot. Give it all a whisk. Place the brisket in the center and spread the veggies around it.

10. My slow cooker seems to cook extra slow. My moms seems to cook way faster. Times may need to be adjusted depending on your slow cooker. But somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 to 6 hours is probably good!

11. After about 3 hours of cooking pull the brisket up out of the liquid and let it rest on top of the veggies for the remainder of the cook time.

12. Serve the brisket as is with veggies or you can serve over rice.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Turkey Style Roast with Crispy Skin

Vegan Pastrami

Beyond Meat Vegan Meatloaf

Herb and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Vegan Turkey Breast

One of the most popular recipes on this site is our Vegan Deli Sliced Turkey. And for good reason! It’s delicious and super easy to make.

We mixed vital wheat gluten, tofu, herbs and spices to create a very convincing vegan turkey breast. The texture and flavor are just spot on!

So when I was thinking over new spring dish ideas, specifically main dishes, I decided I wanted to stuff that turkey breast with some herbs, roll it up, and see how it would turn out.

I had imagined using a variety of herbs and bread crumbs to stuff the vegan turkey breast with, but because I am wrote this recipe durning some very strange, unprecedented, quarantine times, I had to use what I had on hand.

I had a bunch of basil and a bag of sun dried to tomatoes so decided to work from there. I love basil and sun dried tomatoes together and decided the combo would give this stuffed turkey breast and Italian feel. The flavors are bright but also light and zippy.

Even though the filling was not what I had originally dreamed up, it just goes to show using what you have on hand sometimes can create happy accidents….errrr, well, this is less an accident and more a product of availability, and mandatory shelter at home orders. But still the result was happy!

You can use any herbs you have on hand, as well. If do not have sun dried tomatoes you can skip that and just use herbs and bread crumbs.

We ate this vegan turkey breast as a dinner, but you could easily slice it thinly and use it for one dang delicious sandwich, too.

So if you have been thinking about what you would make for your next spring holiday meal, or have some extra time on your hands and want to give seitan turkey a go, there is no better time than now!

This recipe is beyond easy, and so delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 block extra firm high protein tofu (14oz -16oz block)

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten

• 1/2-3/4 cups water

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil

• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon sage

• 1 teaspoon rosemary

• 1 tablespoon No Chicken Better Than Bouillon

• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

• 1 teaspoon salt optional if you feel like the bouillon is not salty enough

• 3 tablespoons mix Italian herbs for the coating, plus 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

*I used high protein tofu in a sort of vacuum sealed package and this what I strongly advise using. It is much firmer than regular firm tofu and has less moisture and a more chewy texture. If you opt to use regular firm tofu you will need to press it first and remove as much liquid as possible. You may need to adjust the amount of water in the recipe ads a result as well. Add the water last, adding just enough to accomplish a firm dough. Be advised that I have not made this turkey with regular firm tofu and I have gotten several comments that using it has caused the tofu to have more of bread texture with many holes in it. I am sure moisture is what is causing this issue. I really suggest only using the HIGH PROTEIN EXTRA FIRM for this recipe if you can find it.

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 cup bread crumbs (make sure they are vegan, many brands are not)

• 1/2 cup fresh basil

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)

• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 2-3 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Begin by adding all of the ingredients for the filling in the food processor. Mix for a few minutes until all of the ingredients are minced up and browned down into a crumb consistency. Place filling in a bowl and set aside. Rinse the food processor.

2. Break up the tofu and place it into a food processor with the regular metal blade. Run the processor for around a minute until the tofu is broken down.

3. Add all of the remaining ingredients and let the food processor run for a couple of minutes. You want the mixture to form a dough. Letting the processor run will help knead the dough. We want this seitan to be firm so we need it to knead for a bit. If you dough seems a bit too dry, you can add another few tablespoons of water, just don’t add too much more! I start at 1/2 cup and work from there.

4. Once you have a smooth but firm dough, remove it from the food processor and place on a clean counter. Knead the dough with your hands for about a minute. Flatten the dough out into a regtangle-ish shape. About 12 inches by maybe 8 inches.

5. Spread the filling over the dough leaving some room around the edges so the filling does not spill out.

6. Begin rolling up the dough starting at one of the shorter ends. Once you have rolled it up, tuck in the ends.

7. Take a piece of aluminum for about 3x bigger than the loaf of dough, and lay it out flat. Coat the foil in spray oil or wipe it down with any oil you have. Sprinkle half coating seasoning you are using in the center of the foil. Place the loaf on the seasoning and roll it around. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the top and press it in. The goal is to fully coat the loaf in the seasoning!

8. Place the loaf back in the center of the foil and fold up the sides, pinching at the top to seal it up, then twist the ends to fully seal the foil.

9. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven on the middle rack. Bake sealed for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes carefully open up the foil, and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

10. Remove finished “turkey” breast and let cool at room temp. Seal the foil back up and place the “turkey” breast in the fridge over night to rest. This step is important to get the texture we are trying achieve. If you try and serve it before it rests it will not be nearly as firm.

11. Once the “turkey” breast has been in the fridge over night, you can remove it and slice it to serve. Since this turkey is better hot, Just slice and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until it is heated back through. I like to give it a little spray with oil when reheating and cover with foil to keep it from getting too dry.

*If your oven cooks hotter than the temperature registered, your “turkey” may develop little holes around the edges. If this happens you can decrease the temperature by 20 degrees the next time you make this dish, or cook uncovered for less time . The turkey will still be delicious but this has been a question asked often in our regular deli turkey breast. It could also be a matter of making sure you knead the dough long enough.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Deli Sliced Turkey Breast

Garlic Lemon Vegan “Chicken” Breast

Vegan Dry Rubbed Brisket

Vegan Smoky Sunflower 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.

Because so many people have allergies to tree nuts and coconut, I wanted to include a seed cheese option. You can easily swap out sunflower seeds in most nut cheese recipes with great success! You can just exchange equal amount of seed for nuts and follow the recipe as written!

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. It may also be labeled as refined coconut oil. They are the same thing!

So if you are allergic to nuts, or have not been a fan of coconut milk cheese, I hope you will enjoy this option!

This cheese is also perfect for sending in school lunch boxes to avoid any allergy issues with you kids friends! I always worry about our kid’s friends with nut allergies when they visit our house, and am so glad I have an option to serve them and still keep it vegan!

Sunflower seeds are also relatively inexpensive! This cheese will cost you easily less than half of what you would pay for vegan cheese in the store. I use small snack size bowls to mold this cheese and can yield three wheels of cheese for around $4-5! If that is not a reason to start making your own cheese, I don’t know what is!!

So let me know what you think of this inexpensive, allergy friendly vegan cheese! I hope you love it and it becomes a staple in your house like it has ours!

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INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cups raw sunflower seeds

• 1 and 1/2 cups plant milk (we used almond milk)

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1/4 cup sauerkraut without the liquid

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

• 2 tablespoons agar powder

• 1/4 cup refined or filtered coconut oil

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak sunflower seeds in hot water for a few hours, or cover in water in microwave safe container and microwave on high for 3 minutes

2. Drain seeds and them add along with coconut oil, sauerkraut, nutritional yeast, starch, and seasoning to a food processor or blender. Blend for about a minute .

3. Add the milk and agar powder to a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, whisking continuously unit the mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Once thickened allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes, but keep whisking.

4. Add the milk and agar mixture to the food processor or blender and mix on high for several minute, unit the mixture becomes creamy smooth.

5. Transfer the mixture to several small bowls or cheese molds. Place in the refrigerator uncovered for serval hours to allow the cheese to firm up.

6. Store firm cheese in an air tight container in the fridge for about a week.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Sliceable Smoky Garlic Cashew Cheese

Smoky Coconut Milk Chile Cheddar Cheese

Easy Vegan All Purpose Cheese Sauce

Breakfast Vegan Sausage, Egg, and Tater Tot Cups

I am always looking for easy, but filling, savory breakfast ideas.

I am not a big fan of sweet breakfast foods for actual breakfast. I am more than happy to eat a cinnamon roll or pop -tart later in the day, but for breakfast I am look for something more substantial and not so sweet. Something that is not going to make my blood sugar spike, and feel like a pile of garbage.

I am also a really big fan of any non muffin recipe that can be baked into a muffin cup. Why, I don’t have a good answer other than I think it’s clever and pretty cute

. I bake all kinds of non muffin things into muffin cups. Lasagna, quiche, meatloaf, tofu banh mi cups, lots and lots of things.

So when I recently saw something similar to this recipe in a non vegan food magazine , I knew I needed to find a way to veganize it!

Luckily I already have recipe for vegetable tofu quiche cups, so I only had to make a few adjustments and these beauties were on their way to the oven. Tofu works really well to substitute eggs in a vegan quiche. The texture is pretty spot on and with a few extra ingredient for color and taste, you have a really convincing vegan egg!

If you are not familiar with kala namak black salt, then I can’t urge you enough to get familiar. It is a vegan’s best friend when creating vegan egg recipes. It smells like and taste like eggs because of the sulfur in the salt. So you can add it to any tofu egg recipe to give it the taste and smell of eggs. Despite the name it is not actually black, but pink! I buy it at a local spice shop or online, on Amazon!

I love the bite of potatoes on the inside and the spicy kick of sausage! I had a few beyond brand sausages leftover so just removed the casing and crumbled and cooked them up! You could use vegan chorizo, or any vegan sausage you like.

I used a mixture of shredded vegan cheddar and mozzarella because it is what I had on hand. Use whatever cheese you have!

If you are feeling extra fancy, you could dice and toss in some onions, peppers, mushrooms, or tomatoes to the mix! Knock yourself out!

These breakfast cups are pretty quick to mix up and bake up fairly fast. Start to finish these vegan breakfast tater tot cups take about an hour! They also reheat really well, making them a good option for weekly meal prep.

INGREDIENTS:

• 7-8 oz vegan sausage. I used 2 Beyond sausages by removing the casing

• 1 bag frozen tater tots

• 1 1/4 cup any shredded vegan cheeses. I used cheddar and mozzarella

• 1 blok firm or extra firm tofu

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1- 2 teaspoons turmeric

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 -1 teaspoon kala namak black salt (optional)

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

• 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup plant milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Add the tofu, seasoning, nutritional yeast and milk to a high speed blender or food processor. Start with 1/4 cup of milk and if the mixture is too thick you may need to add another 1/4 cup. This just depends on the tofu you use and how much liquid is in it. If using tofu packed in water then 1/4 cup is probably enough. If using the super firm tofu that is vacuum sealed then you will need closer to 1/2 cup. Blend on high speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth. The texture should be kind of like pudding.

2. In a medium sized skillet add crumbled sausage and cook through. If you want to use Beyond sausage or any other vegan sausage in a casing, just cut the casing away and crumble the sausage in the pan using a spatula.

3. Mix the cooked sausage, shredded cheese, and the tofu mixture together in a bowl.

4. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with some cooking spray. Begin by filling each cup 1/3 full with tofu mixture. Next press 3 frozen tater tots into the each cup. Lastly, add another scoop of tofu mixture over the tater tots.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven. The cups are done when the tofu mixture is cooked though. Just test it by inserting a cake tester or tooth pick into the center. If it comes out clean they are done.

6. Allow the cups to cool some before removing from the tin. Top with diced green onions or any herbs you may like to serve.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Easy Tofu Quiche Cups

Tofu Banh Mi Rice Cups

Muffin Cup Vegan Lasagna

Vegan Fried Mac and Cheese Balls

What’s better than creamy, gooey, perfect vegan mac and cheese? Fried vegan mac and cheese, obviously!

I mean, when I said before that I can and will try and fry everything, that was not a lie. I do adore my air fryer and it has been a game changer in my life, but from time to time you gotta bust out a pot of hot oil and make magic happen! Some things just want to be fried in a vat of hot oil and there is not a drag thing any of us can do about that!

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There was once a time in our lives when we thought the Cheese Cake Factory was the bees knees. Never mind that the wait at our local outdoor mall location was always 7,500 hours long, or that you basically have to sit in a strangers lap once seated, or that the menu is so long that you might turn 100 before you ever finish reading it. Like I have never had so much ordering anxiety and decision remorse in my life as I have at a Cheese Cake Factory ordering dinner. Does anyone else feel this way?!?! I feel like I am not alone here.

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Once we went vegan I have never been back. Do I miss it?!?! Well their happy hour was pretty awesome with tasty drinks and cheap apps, but I am not sure in my semi old age I could handle the stress of it all, and I’m pretty sure there is very little there for me to eat these days. But what I really truly miss is their fried mac and cheese balls!

Seriously, if you have never, I am so sorry! But I am only here to help, and I think I have done just that with this recipe.

I have tried my hand at frying Vegan Mac and Cheese pretty unsuccessfully serval times. Until this time!!!

The trick to getting these Fried Vegan Mac and Cheese Balls nice and creamy once you fry them, is making sure they the Mac is EXTRA creamy and cheesy before you freeze them. Lucky for all of us I have the perfect creamy vegan mac and cheese recipe to make this much easier . You need a creamy element, but you also need the shredded cheese mixed in so it melts and adds extra goo when you fry them.

The breading is also important. You need a thick batter to hold on the dry coating since the fried mac and cheese balls need to be nice and solid before you try and coat them. These ingredients are non negotiable if you want an successful final product. So if you go fussing with the ingredients, and are disappointed with the creaminess of the inside, or the coating on the outside, you were fairly warned.

This recipe makes a lot of fried mac and cheese so I often leave half the batch in my freezer in a large sealed zip lock for another day. If you do this, just half breading and batter amounts. Or fry up the whole batch and reheat the leftovers throughout the week. They reheat well in the oven or an air fryer.

Finally, make sure to have a side of marinara on hand for dipping. These Vegan Fried Mac and Cheese balls are a meal in themselves and sooooo much better if you dip them in the sauce! I mean Cheese Cake Factory would be so disappointed in us if we didn’t!! It’s just how you are suppose to eat them. Serve these with a salad and you have made a full dinner that is sure to make your whole house happy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 batch Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese

• 1/4 cup vegan mayo

• 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese , homemade or store bought

• 1 cup vegan plain yogurt or sour cream

• 1 cup unsweetened vegan plant milk

• 1/2 cup tapioca or corn starch

• 2 cups vegan bread crumbs, plain or panko

• 2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Oil for frying

• Marinara sauce for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by preparing the mac and cheese according to the instructions. Add in 1/4 cup vegan mayo and 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar to the Mac and cheese. Mix well, and allow to cool.

2. Using a large kitchen scoop, scoop out Mac and cheese and form a ball. Place the ball into a muffin tin and continue with remaining Mac and cheese. If you do not have a muffin tin you can form a ball with the mac and cheese and place it on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

3. Place the muffin tin or cookie sheet into the freezer and allow the mac and cheese to freeze. You need the mac and cheese to be solid before you batter and bread it.

4. Once the vegan mac and cheese balls are frozen, prepare the batter and breading by combining the yogurt and milk in a medium sized bowl, and combining the bread crumbs, starch, salt, and garlic in a separate bowl.

   *this recipe will yield about 2 dozen Vegan Mac and Cheese balls. I often only choose to fry half a batch at a time. If you wish to do this, you will need to half the ingredients in the batter and breading and leave the other half of the Mac and Cheese in the freezer in an airtight container for up to one month.

5. Remove the Mac and Cheese from the muffin tin. The balls my be a bit stuck but you can pry them out easily using a fork. Begin by dipping each Mac and Cheese ball into the yogurt/milk mixture and fully coating. Next dip them into the breadcrumb and starch mixture, again making sure they are fully coated. Place the coated Macs and Cheese balls onto a baking sheet or back into the muffin tin.

6. Fill a medium sized pot half way with an oil suitable for frying, I use grapeseed or canola oil. Heat the pot over medium heat until the oil reaches 350-375 degrees. If you do not have a kitchen thermometer you can place a wooden chopstick or wooden skewer into the oil touching the bottom of the pot once the oil seems good and hot. If tiny bubbles form around the chopstick, the oil is ready.

7. Prepare a baking pan by lining it in paper towels and placing a wire cooling rack on top.

8. Add a few mac and cheese balls into the hot oil and allow them to fry for 3-5 minutes. Since the mac and cheese is frozen, you have to make sure they are cooked through without allowing the outside to burn. If the oil seems too hot and the outside is getting too brown, you can reduce the heat at bit. You may have to test one after it has fried for about 3 minutes to see if the inside is done. This will help you gauge how long you will have to let them cook.

9. Continue until all vegan mac and cheese balls have been fried, placing the finished balls on the cooling rack.

10. Serve with warmed marinara sauce.

11. If you wish to reheat leftover fried vegan mac and cheese balls, you can do so in an air fryer at 350 for about 5 minutes, or in a preheated, 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Buffalo "Chicken” Mac and Cheese

Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

Easy Vegan Macaroni Salad

Vegan Chorizo and Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños

My oldest daughter recently asked me to make jalapeño poppers.

I have eaten plenty in my life, but never once made a stuffed jalapeño.

My next question was if she wanted them stuffed with cheddar or cream cheese. I have had both and personally prefer cream cheese, but would not turn down a pepper stuffed with cheddar. All cheese is created delicious in my mind, and I do not discriminate.

She has personally NEVER had a stuffed jalapeño, vegan or otherwise. Because we are vegan, they are not something she has ever been able to order out, and again I never thought to make them. I am not sure how long in her 17 years she has been dreaming of eating a stuffed jalapeño popper, but this was the first mention of it, so obviously I would need to try and make her pepper craving dreams a reality.

But here is the thing, I didn’t really want to go to all that work , trying to get them hallowed out and stuffed and battered and fried, knowing she was the only one in the house other than me that was going to eat them. It was going to be a lot of work. I love fried food, but if I can be honest here, I HATE the act of deep frying food. I makes a mess that I do not enjoy cleaning up, especially if its not a food my whole family is going to want to eat. So I kept putting it off.

Then one day, my friend Aunterial texted to let me know she had a LOAD of veggies for me. I had not idea just the amount she was talking about until she dropped the crate on my porch. SO MANY JALEPENOS!! So I had no more excuse. Later that week I saw on Facebook that Aunterial had made peppers too, but stuffed them with cream cheese and baked them! She is a fricking genius y’all!!! BAKED THEM!!! What?!?!?

So to solve the cheddar vs cream cheese debate, I decide to mix both. I actually used our homemade kimcheese shredded and mixed with the cream cheese because thats what I had on hand. But the kimcheese works because it has a kick to it, too. I also decided I wanted extra spice and bite, so cooked up some soy chorizo and mixed that in. To add some crunch, I sprinkled the tops with some panko and popped them into the oven!!

Y’ALL!! These might be my new favorite easy appetizer! I shared them with my non vegan neighbors to get a unbiased review and they all loved them! But most importantly, my daughter loved them. Spicy, creamy, crunchy, and I didn’t have to fry anything thanks to Aunterial’s brilliant idea! Don’t worry I probably turned around the next day and fried a thing. But these vegan chorizo and cream cheese jalapeños are officially a bake only, no frying required snack!!

So if you have been craving an jalapeño poppers but don’t want to go to the trouble of stuffing, battering, and fying them, maybe this is the solution you have been looking for! Quick, easy, and soooo good!

INGREDIENTS:

• 6-8 large jalapeño peppers

• 1/2 container, or 4 oz of vegan cream cheese, or homemade cream cheese

• 1/2 package or 6 oz vegan soy chorizo ( we used Trader Joe’s)

• 1/3 cup shredded vegan cheddar or any shredded vegan cheese you may like

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Wash peppers. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds, and ribs. Place peppers on a parchment lined cookies sheet. Give them a spray or light brushing with some cooking oil.

2. In a medium sized skillet, cook the soy chorizo until it has cooked through. Allow it too cool.

3. In a medium sized bowl mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, cooled chorizo, garlic, and chili powder.

4. Fill the peppers evenly with the cream cheese chorizo mixture, and sprinkle the tops with panko. I like to sprinkle some chili powder on top of the bread crumbs as well, but it’s optional.

5. Give the peppers one more spray with some cooking oil and place them on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Let them cook for about 20-25 minutes. You want the pepper to soften some but not become really mushy. If the tops seem to be browning too quickly you can move the tray to the bottom oven rack and bump the heat down to 350.

6. Serve with a side of vegan ranch or sour cream if you like.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Smoky Coconut Milk Chile Cheddar Cheese

Vegan Chorizo Empanadas

Vegan Popcorn Tofu

Vegan Country Fried Steak

My mom is an incredible cook, even though she will try and tell you I did not inherit my cooking skills from her. She is lying.

Where cooking southern food is concerned, my mom and Grandmama taught me everything I know. My mom made cube steak on the regular, and when I did eat meat, I thought she made the best fried chicken on the planet. My mom can fry the heck out of some food and make you want to weep with joy while you eat it.

Also, if you ever travel much in the south east, you quickly learn there is a Cracker Barrel at like every other interstate exit.

To say we ate out at Cracker Barrel weekly in my childhood would not be that much of a stretch. If my mom was in the mood to cook us dinner (she may be a good cook but she hates doing it) we were likely eating out somewhere that still served some variation of southern food.

My favorite thing to order for years at Cracker Barrel was the chicken fried steak, or country fried steak, depending on what you want to call it. It is basically just cube steak that has been extra tenderized, battered, and fried. Yes, in the south we even batter and fry steak.

So obviously once going vegan, country fried steak was off the menu for me. But once I learned to make basic seitan, and realized how wonderfully it fries up, I knew I had to make country fried seitan steak!!!

I have often said in the south you are born with hot oil coursing through your veins, because we fry everything.

Well y’all, it is flipping delicious. Basic seitan is so easy to make, too! I simmer mine for an hour but it only takes a few minutes to mix up! I often make a double batch because it freezes so well. On busy weeknights, all you have to do is thaw it, and you are ready to bread and fry it, or use it in any of the other gazillion ways you can use seitan.

I also love white sawmill gravy to top this vegan steak, but if you are not a fan you could always make a brown mushroom gravy to pour on top. It is basically blasphemy if you do, but I guess I will forgive it if you don’t know any better.

We always serve our vegan country fried steak with mashed potatoes, again slathered in the same vegan sawmill gravy, green beans, and fluffy southern biscuits, or cornbread. It is also good the next day, reheated and put on a biscuit for breakfast, just so you know!

Even if you have never heard of country fried steak, I can not urge you enough to try this vegan version. It is comfort food at its finest and if there is anything I have learned for many generations of fine southern women in my life, it is comfort food!

INGREDIENTS:

BASIC SEITAN WITH JACKFRUIT:

• 1 can jackfruit in brine

• 1/4 small white onion

• 1 and 2/3 cups vital wheat gluten

• 1/2 cup tapioca starch

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 teaspoons Vegetable Better Than Bouillon

• 2 teaspoon liquid smoke

• 1 teaspoon onion salt

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 1 teaspoons of your favorite all purpose seasoning

• boiling liquid: 5 cups water plus 2 teaspoons butter than bouillon, 1 - 2 teaspoons liquid smoke

STEAK BREADING:

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 sleeve vegan round. “butter” crackers

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning

• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk

• 1/4 cup plain vegan yogurt or sour cream

• Oil for frying

SAWMILL GRAVY:

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 2 cups unsweetened plant milk (I use almond)

• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add 1/4 peeled onion to a food processor and pulse until the onion is finely minced. If you do not have a food processor use a blender.

2. Drain the jackfruit and rinse. Place jackfruit in a food processor ( or blender) and pulse until it is finely minced. Add the remaining ingredients (minus the boiling liquid or breading ingredients) and process for a few minutes, allowing a dough to form and giving it enough time to knead. (watch the posted video for the basic idea of making setian, the video recipe does not include jackfruit but can be found on the site, Basic Seitan)

3. If you do not have a food processor, add the minced ingredients to a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Mix until all of the ingredients are well incorporated. Once a dough has formed, turn it out onto a clean, flour dusted surface, and knead by hand for 2 to 3 minutes. The dough should look like the pictures above.

4. Bring a large pot with the boiling liquid to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling reduce the heat to low.

5. Flatten the seitan dough ball into a disk shape. Cut the disc into quarters and press flat once again. Place the dough quarters into the boiling liquid. Allow the seitan to simmer for 30 minutes. Gently flip each piece using tongs, and continue to simmer for 30 more minutes. Remove the seitan from the pot and place on a paper towel lined plate. Let the seitan cool to room temperate.

6. Once the pieces are cool, you want to slice them in half lengthwise creating 8 steaks.

7. To coat the steaks begin by finely crushing the sleeve of butter crackers. I normally just use my hands and crush them right in the package. You can also pop them in the food processor or blender to crush them, or dump them into a zip lock had and crush them using the heel of your hand or a rolling pin.

8. In a medium shallow bowl or pie plate, mix the crushed crackers, flour, salt, pepper, and seasoning. In another medium bowl, whisk the plant milk and yogurt together.

9. Dip each steak into the milk and yogurt mixture then press them into the cracker flour mix, making sure the steaks are totally coated in the mixture.

10. Heat a large deep skillet with a few inches of oil over medium heat until nice and hot. You can poke a wooden chopstick or skewer into the oil and if tiny bubbles form around it, the oil is ready. Place 3 or 4 steaks in at a time, allow each side to fry for a few minutes until crisp and golden brown. Place finished steaks on a cooking rack placed on top of a paper towel lined baking sheet. This allows the excess oil to drip off but keeps them crisp. Repeat with remaining steaks.

11. To make the gravy, heat another deep skillet over medium heat, add the vegan butter once the pan is hot, then whisk the four into the melted butter. Let the flour cook for few minutes then whisk in the milk. Add the salt and pepper and continue whisking until the gravy has thickened.

12. Serve the steaks with the sawmill gravy and your favorite sides.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes

Cream Vegan Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Vegan Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

Vegan Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder

Truth be told I have never been a huge fan of chowder…or errrrrr chowdah, deepening on where you are from.

My dad often made canned, condensed, clam chowder when I was a kid and I thought it was disgusting. And there began my complicated relationship with all chowder.

Creamy soups in general are typically not my jam. I am more of a tomato based soup kinda girl. So, when I was recently flipping though a magazine and stumbled upon a big bread bowl full of corn chowder, suddenly something inside of me changed… I HAD TO HAVE THAT CHOWER.

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So I dashed to the store, grabbed some corn, and came up with a plan.

In the mean time our 3 year old decided swiping the corn off the counter and hiding it would be a super fun game. Thank goodness she decided to divulge the hiding place, because I would have found it. Five ears of corn wrapped in a blanket, tucked into an amazon box, tucked into another amazon box. What goes on in her tiny brain..I mean, I am so curious and pray she does not grow up to be a klepto because this is kinda becoming her MO. Lord help me!

So once the mystery of the missing corn was solved, I got started. I decided It really needs to be roasted. No big deal, you just toss it in a super hot oven and let some nice color. I also decided it needed potatoes, of course, and some sweet roasted red peppers for some flavor and color.

It also needed to be nice and creamy. So, I just made a quick cashew cream and that’s about it. Its really easy and comes together pretty quickly.

I also has just happened to make some delicious bread bowls for a meatball recipe I was creating, so went ahead and severed it up in those! Seriously, if you have time, make the bread bowls!! I linked the recipe below. They are sooooo good! You could also buy small round loaves at the bakery and use those. Or, just use a bowl. I mean, that’s what they are for, right?!?

Guys, I have to admit that I am now an official chowder convert! I would eat this soup weekly and be pretty happy about it.

I also think this vegan corn chowder will freeze really well, making it a good option for meal prep. I like to store my frozen soup in gallon sized zip lock bags. I just toss the frozen zip lock of soup into bowl of hot water and let it thaw, then reheat!

So wether you have always loved chowder, or are just willing to give it a go just one more time like me, you will hopefully enjoy this one. Its hearty and filling and just right on a cold day, and even better served up in a gloriously fluffy bread bowl! Easy Vegan Bread Bowl Recipe

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INGREDIENTS

• 5 ears of sweet corn

• 2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers (from a jar)

• 5 and 3/4 cups water divided

• 2 teaspoons vegetable better than bouillon

• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• 1/4 cups cashew

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1-2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon cooking oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Shuck and clean corn. Lay corn on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven until the corn begins to brown on top. Around 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once the corn has cooled, carefully cut the corn off the cob using a sharp knife.

2. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and the onions to the pot. Sprinkle the onions with a bit of salt and allow them to cook until they become translucent.

3. Add the corn, peppers, and diced potatoes to the pot along with 5 cups of water and the better than bouillon. Stir well.

4. Add in the remaining spices and nutritional yeast. Reduce the heat to low and allow the chowder to simmer.

5. Place the cashews in a microwavable bowl or pyrex and cover with water. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain the cashews and add them along with 3/4 cups fresh water to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, no bits of cashews remaining. Add the now cashew cream to the to the pot and stir.

6. Let the chowder simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.

7. Serve chowder in bread bowl if you like, and garnish with some diced green onions.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Hearty Vegan Vegetable “Beef” Stew

Vegan Beer Cheese Potato Soup

Vegan Beyond Meatball Filled Bread Bowls

I love meatballs. Vegan “meatballs” that is.

I love that Beyond Meat can be used to make a deliciously convincing meatball so I can still enjoy one of my all time favorite pre vegan foods.

Before Beyond started selling the beyond meat in a 1 lb. block, I simply bought the burgers and thawed them, mixed them all up and used them as I would ground meat. It works really well and 4 burgers equal 1 lb. of vegan ground. You can use any brand of vegan mince you like. I prefer Beyond but I know there are a lot of new brands popping up these days, so use your fave or what you can find locally! What a glorious time to be a vegan!

So, that said, what do you do with your vegan meatballs? Add them to spaghetti? Sure, I guess, I do love spaghetti and meatballs. Put them on a sub roll and make a sandwich? Sure, It’s one of my favorite sandwiches. OR, you can bake up you very own homemade bread bowls and fill it with vegan meatballs.

Hear me out. These are way BETTER than a sub! For starters it’s less messy, and also you can pile up a LOT of meatballs into a bread bowl. Then you can smoother it, cover it, drowned it, in vegan cheese sauce and bake it up til it’s bubbly brown, and extra gooey. You will likely look a little more classy eating this than you would with marinara running down your chin as you chomp on a meatball sub. Just saying.

Bread bowl meatballs get my vote!

If you don’t want to make bread bowls, you can go buy some smaller round loaves of bread at the bakery and use those. I have done this with a giant round bread loaf and just made one giant bread bowl for sharing. “Sharing” sure…. if you even believe me, then yeah, I shared it.

Anyways, our all purpose vegan cheese sauce gets extra stretchy and gooey, and is perfect for topping these meatball bread bowls. Also, you are going to want to lick the pot you cook it in, so just a heads up, it’s actually that good. You can use the bread scraps to clean up the cheese pot. I am a genius like that, y’all!

So I you are a fan of meatballs, then try them in a bread bowl. Bread makes all meals better and carbs are for sure my love language. Can you even eat a meatball without bread? I would strongly argue that you for sure can not!

INGREDIENTS:

You will need one batch of our Easy Vegan Bread Bowls or 4-6 store bought bread bowls

• 4 thawed Beyond Beef burgers, or 1 lb block of Beyond Meat

• 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

• 1/2 batch All Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce

THE SAUCE: ( or use a favorite pre-made sauce)

• 1 onion, 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

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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: (you can also easily use store bought sauce)

1. In a medium sized sauce pan, sauté onions and garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil, and a teaspoon of salt, until onions are translucent.

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.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Prepare cheese sauce according to directions, allowing it too cook until it is thick and stretchy.

2. Cut tops of bread bowls and hollow them out. You can save the extra bread to make croutons, or just save the scraps to dip in extra sauce. No judgments from me. It’s what I do. Fill the bread bowls equally with vegan meatballs and marinara sauce.

3. Evenly top the bread bowls with dollops of the cheese sauce, and sprinkle with some parsley if you like.

4. Place bread bowls on a baking sheet.

5. Place in the oven on the top rack just until the cheese starts to get extra melty and gooey.

6. Allow to cool a bit before serving. You don’t want to burn you mouth ( I am a mom of 4, I can’t help but give this warning)

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If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Beyond Meatloaf Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

Minestrone Soup with Vegan Meatballs

The Perfect Vegan Lasagna

Easy Vegan Bread Bowls

Carbs, carbs, glorious, delicious, most perfect food. Oh how I love you!

If I am going to eat soup, I want bread.

If I am going to eat pasta, I want bread.

Don’t even think of showing me a meatball and not also giving me some bread.

I LOVE bread. I LOVE carbs. Plain and simple, and I don’t even feel a little bad about it.

So bread bowls are just about the smartest bread food there ever was. It’s a bowl…..and it’s bread.

It’s bread that is actually made to hold your food. Ummmm, it does not get much better than that.

Listen, don’t be intimidated by bread making. It’s actually super easy and will save you a ton of money! It also makes your house smell really good, so that is an added bonus. This recipe is pretty basic, and pretty close to our artisan bread recipe, just shaped into bowls!

You can make this right in a stand mixer, but if you don’t have one, no worries, you are just gonna get yourself a little workout!! The bonus is you will burn some calories kneading the dough, so don’t have to feel badly about all the carbs you are about to cram in your face.

If you are at loss for what to serve up in these beautiful bowls, head over to our soup category under recipes for tons of ideas, or fill themwith our classic macaroni and cheese , or be a little extra and fill them with Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese. Carbs inside of carbs, with an added bonus of CHEESE!!!

Spaghetti in a bread bowl???? Yes, yes and YES! We like to pile up Beyond Meatballs inside of these beauties and cover them in our all purpose cheese sauce. Like a meatball sub but totally better!!!

So get to bakin, then you can decide with you want to fill these bread bowls with. There are no wrong answers. I think next time I bake some I will use one as a quaso bowl. That way when its all gone, I can just eat the gooey, cheesy, bread.

Carbs for life!

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast

• 3 cups hot water

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil

• 1 tablespoon salt

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. In large bowl add hot water around 110 degrees. I just run my tap water until it is nice and hot, if you get the water too hot it will kill the yeast. Add the yeast and sugar and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until it is frothy and bubbly at top.

2. If using a stand mixer, attach the bread hook. Add the flour, salt and oil. Once the yeast mixture is ready add it to the bowl. I like to use a large spoon to fold everything together before starting the mixer. It cuts down and flour flying everywhere and making a huge mess. (live and learn.) Turn the mixer on medium speed and allow the dough to mix for about 5 minutes. If it seems too sticky and wet and isn’t forming a dough ball, add some flour a few tablespoons at a time. If it seem too dry and isn’t coming together, a little water a few tablespoons at a time. You want a soft dough but not so sticky you can not handle it.

3. If you do not have a stand mixer, combine all ingredients in a large bowl as stated above and mix well. Once all of the ingredients are incorporated turn the dough out to a clean floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes. Again the dough should be soft but able to handle without it being too sticky.

4. Once dough has been kneaded, form it into a ball place it in bowl that has been lightly coasted in oil. Cover the bowl wth a kitchen towel or plastic kitchen wrap and place in the oven, turned off, or on the bread proof stetting if you have one. Allow the dough to double in size. The amount of time will vary depending on weather and temperature but should take between 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a clean, floured surface. Divide the dough evenly into 6-8 pieces, depending on how big you want your bowls. Form each each piece into a round ball shape. Place the dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet at least three inches apart. I like to use 2 baking sheets just to avoid over crowding and to prevent the bread bowls from sticking together as they bake. Pop the baking sheets back in the oven for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from oven.

6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

7. You can mix a few teaspoons of maple syrup with 1/4 of water and brush the tops of the bread bowls before baking to help them brown. I like to sprinkle mine with coarse sea salt. You can also sprinkle them with sesame seeds, or even everything bagel seasoning. You can also leave them plain.

8. Place the baking sheets into the oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees. Bake the bread bowls for 10-15 minutes or until the tops are browning and the bread bowls sound hollow when you tap them.

9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container until use.

To use the bowls, cut the tops with a sharp knife and hollow out the inside. Fill with soup, stew, spaghetti, meatballs, Mac and cheese, or whatever you like.

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If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Beer Cheese Soup

Vegan Beyond Meatball Filled Bread Bowls

Vegan Buffalo “Chicken” Mac and Cheese

Vegan Breakfast Stuffed Biscuits

So one thing I love about Instagram is all of the food inspiration I find each and every day.

Recently I ran into a picture of the most delicious looking stuffed biscuits that my Insta friend Denise posted!

I was instantly intrigued and knew I wanted to make something like what she posted. I believe she used an accidentally vegan canned or pre-made biscuit, but I knew I could just use our easy vegan biscuit dough and have something similar and probably super delicious!

I also knew I wanted to add potatoes, sausage, and Just Egg. I just happened to have a bottle of Just Egg in the fridge so used it. I would love these just as much with tofu scramble if Just Egg wasn’t close at hand. So use whatever egg substitute you have and prefer. You can also skip the sausage and add vegan bacon or no vegan meat at all. You could add sautéed veggies to the scramble if you are more into a veggie /egg breakfast! Use your imagination!

My entire family really loved these vegan breakfast stuffed biscuits which was an extra win. I can make a batch of these on a Sunday and have them in the fridge to reheat throughout the week for a quick and filling breakfast for the kids! They are a nice little hand held breakfast that are perfect for grab and go, and can easily be taken along for your morning commute.

Like a hot pocket and breakfast biscuit sandwich got married and had the most perfect breakfast baby!!!

And if you are not feeling like mixing up a homemade batch of biscuits, you could always use a pre-made like Denise. But seriously, I can’t encourage you enough to give the homemade a try…but no judgment if you choose pre-made. Sometimes we just need to do what’s easy and convenient!

No matter how you stuff these breakfast biscuits, let’s all give Denise a big THANK YOU for the inspirational idea!!! I know my stomach is super thankful for this one!!

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 batch southern bisucits

2. 1/2 tube lifelight sausage or any other vegan sausage you prefer

3. 1/2 bottle Just egg, or 1/2 batch Tofu Scramble

4. 1 cup cubed russet potatoes

5. 1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds

6. salt and pepper to taste

7. 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil

8. optional: 1-2 teaspoons Kala Namak, black salt (it is sulfur salt that taste like egg)

INSTRUCTIONS:

preheat oven to 425 degrees

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a few teaspoons of neutral oil along with the diced potatoes. Allow the potatoes to cook until they are beginning to crisp and you can poke fork through them.

2. Add the sausage to the pan along with the potatoes and allow it to cook through.

3. Finally add the Just egg or tofu scrabble along with salt and pepper to the potatoe sausage mix and allow it to cook though. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the mix and allow it to melt. Let the mixture cool.

4. Prepare the biscuit dough according to instructions. Using a 1 and 1/2 to 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits. Take two biscuits and flatten them out a bit.

5. Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out the potato and Just egg filling into the center of one biscuit. Lay the other biscuit on top and press the edges together. Tuck the pressed edge under the biscuit to form a sort of ball. Repeat with remaining dough and filling until it is all used up ( you may have a bit of filling left, I just ate with a spoon, happily, while I waited for the biscuits to bake)

6. Place the biscuit on a baking sheet with some space between them and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. You can brush some vegan butter on the tops mid bake if you like and sprinkle with dried parsley, but it’s optional.

7. Bake for around 15-20 minutes (depends on the oven) or until the biscuits are browning and cooked through.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Easy Homemade Vegan Bagels

Vegan Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Pizza

The Jax Biscuit Sandwich

Vegan Deli Sliced Turkey Breast

I make a lot of seitan based vegan meats.

I have recipes for a holiday roast, holiday turkey style breast with crispy skin, chicken breast, pastrami, brisket, and even pepperoni. But until now I had never added tofu to the mix.

If there was ever a sandwich I missed since going vegan it is a regular old turkey sandwich. I used to love a good deli carved turkey sandwich more than almost anything. So I decided I would try to add tofu to my regular turkey style breast recipe to see if I could get it to a more deli sliced texture.

Y’all, the answer is YES! I have seen other people adding tofu to seitan recipes, and obviously Tofurkey lunch slices are a mix of tofu and vital wheat gluten so I decided to give it a go. It only took one experiment and it came out pretty perfect the first time. I was elated.

Even my husband who normally passes on vital wheat gluten recipes loves it! I was so excited that I made sandwiches to take to my Mah Jong group, i’m sure I have mentioned my Mah Jong group before. Y’all, side note: learn to play Mah Jong, it’s SO FUN!! Sorry back to the point of this! They were skeptical at first but everyone who tried it was floored and surprised by how good it was! Yay for my Mah Jong crew loving vegan meats!!

If you do not like the spice profile I used, feel free to change it up. That part is up to you. But when the recipe tells you to LET IT REST IN THE FRIDGE, you have to muster all of your strength and patience and do as I say! You will not have the texture you want unless you “let the breast rest. “ So just cook it one night and let it sit in the fridge til the next day. And if you don’t let it rest and decide to dig right in, don’t message me and tell me it was not firm enough, not even joking.

So if you are missing some legit turkey but don’t want to eat an actual turkey, this is your answer! I promise, PROMISE, it will be worth your time and effort. Maybe just go ahead and make 2 at once!

INGREDIENTS

This is what the tofu looks like that I used. Vacuum sealed, not in a tray of water.

• 1 block extra firm high protein tofu (14oz -16oz block)

• 1 cup vital wheat gluten

• 1/2-3/4 cups water

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil ( you can replace with water if you are oil free)

• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or corn starch

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon sage

• 1 teaspoon rosemary

• 1 tablespoon No Chicken Better Than Bouillon, or any chicken-less bouillon cube or powder (if using cubes or powder just dissolve in with the water)

• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

• 1 teaspoon salt optional if you feel like the bouillon is not salty enough

• 3 tablespoons hickory seasoning, or any other seasoning you like to coat the “turkey.” I often use a chili lime seasoning, jerk seasoning, or even Italian blend.

TROUBLE SHOOTING THIS REICPE:

*I used high protein tofu in a vacuum sealed package and this what I strongly advise using. It is much firmer than regular firm tofu and has less moisture and a more chewy texture. If you opt to use regular firm tofu you will need to press it first and remove as much liquid as possible. You may need to adjust the amount of water in the recipet as well. Add the water last, adding just enough to accomplish a firm dough.

• *If you find your turkey has A LOT OF LITTLE HOLES, and a more BREAD LIKE TEXTURE this can be caused from under kneading the dough, BUT more likely cooking the seitan at too high of a temperature, or for too long. Check your ovens temperature with an oven thermometer. Your oven may just be cooking hotter than it registers. Also gas and electric ovens tend to cook differently. If you do not have an oven thermometer you can reduce the heat in your oven by 25 degrees, and keep the seitan covered for 50 minutes and open for 10.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Break up the tofu and place it into a food processor with the regular metal blade. Run the processor for around a minute until the tofu is broken down.

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients and let the food processor run for a couple of minutes. You want the mixture to form a dough. Letting the processor run will help knead the dough. We want this seitan to be firm so we need it to knead for a bit. If you dough seems a bit too dry, you can add another few tablespoons of water, just don’t add too much more! I start at 1/2 cup and work from there.

3. Once you have a smooth but firm dough, remove it from the food processor and place on a clean counter. Knead the dough with your hands for about a minute, forming a kind of oval shaped loaf with the dough.

4. Take a piece of aluminum for about 3x bigger than the loaf of dough, and lay it out flat. Coat the foil in spray oil or wipe it down with any oil you have. Sprinkle half of the hickory, or whatever seasoning you are using in the center of the foil. Place the loaf on the seasoning and roll it around. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the top and press it in. The goal is to fully coat the loaf in the seasoning!

5. Place the loaf back in the center of the foil and fold up the sides, pinching at the top to seal it up, then twist the ends to fully seal the foil.

6. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven on the middle rack. Bake sealed for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes carefully open up the foil, and continue baking for another 30-40 minutes.

7. Remove finished “turkey” breast and let cool at room temp. Seal the foil back up and place the “turkey” breast in the fridge over night to rest. This step is important to get the texture we are trying achieve. If you try and serve it before it rests it will not be nearly as firm.

8. Once the “turkey” breast has been in the fridge over night, you can remove it and slice it to serve. It should at this point be firm enough to slice using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.

   If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Dry Rubbed Brisket

Garlic Lemon Vegan “Chicken” Breast with Crispy Skin

Vegan Pastrami

Vegan Pimento Cheddar Cheese with Coconut Milk

I love experimenting with different vegan cheese flavors and bases. I really love using coconut milk because it’s easy and affordable.

I am often asked if these cheeses have a strong coconut flavor and the answer is, not really. I always used refined coconut oil which has little to no coconut flavor at all, and all of the spices and other ingredients in the cheese mask the flavor of the milk very well.

I love to make homemade pimento cheese and often do! I have always just made a vegan cheddar using coconut milk to make it, or in a pinch have bought some vegan cheddar shreds. BUT, how much more delicious is my pimento cheese spread now going to be when I use this vegan pimento cheddar to make the spread!! Double pimento and double delicious.

We added jarred red peppers to our recipe and can be used interchangeably with pimentos if you do not have any on hand. I normally have one or the other and just use what I have.

This is a quick set cheese and is so simple to make, there is no reason to keep overpaying for store bought vegan cheese! You can have delicious vegan cheese, start to finish in about 2 hours, and for a quarter of the grocery store price!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk

• 2 tablespoons agar powder

• 2 teaspoons light miso paste

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1/4 cup diced red jarred red peppers or pimentos

• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If using a jarred red pepper, remove a piece from the jar and pat it with a paper towel to remove some of the liquid. Next coarsely chop the pepper. If using pimentos, line a bowl with paper towels and put the 1/4 cup pimentos in the bowl to try and draw out some of their liquid.

2. In a food processor or high speed blender, add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the milk, and agar and peppers/ pimentos.

3. Pulse a few times to mix it all up.

4. Add the milk, and agar to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens to the constancy of a thin pudding. This only takes a few minutes.

5. Add the milk mixture to the ingredients in the food processor, and mix for about a minute.

6. Drop the peppers/ pimentos int the mix and process for a minute until they are all chopped up and incorporated. The mixture will quickly begin to thicken as agar begins to solidify at room temperature.

7. Transfer to the mixture to several small bowls or cheese molds. I can fill three small bowls with this recipe.

8. Allow the cheese to harden in the refrigerator uncovered for a few hours.

9. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week or so.

10. This cheese will shred and make a pretty tasty pimento cheese spread!

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Sliceable Smoky Garlic Cashew Cheese

Vegan Pimento Cheese

Coconut Milk Colby Jack Cheese