White bean dip – Vegan

  

  

Filling, creamy and a great source of protein. A simple bean recipe can edge out dips and spreads with ease.

Try this simple 5 minute recipe on for size.

Ingredients:

1 large can of Cannelloni Beans with juice

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup water in case of dryness

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Method: 

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve with crackers or veggies for dip. Use as a great sandwich/pita/flat bread spread!

Chickpea Sal San – Vegan

 

I can’t begin to tell you how bloody delicious this recipe turned out. It ACTUALLY tastes like chicken – but I lend that to the “mayonaise-y” flavour.

Easy for camping, school lunches and picnics, you’ll want this one in your repertoire for sure.

I found some amazing relish at my farmers market this summer that was to die for and topped this recipe off SO well.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas

2 oz tofu diced, crumbled and browned & cooled

5 stalks celery

2.5 tbsp relish

2.5 tbsp veganaise

1 tsp dulse – optional

1 tsp diced shallot – sub 1 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp diced dill (fresh)

1 tbsp diced chives (fresh)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method: 

Crumble and brown your tofu in a small pan on medium heat. I opted to use a spicy oil infusion for this part. Allow to cool.

Mix all other ingredients in large bowl, add tofu & refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Serve over lettuce or on sourdough buns for an amazing lunch or dinner nosh.

Not your Mee’s Bahn Mi

A beautiful thing

So excited I can’t even write an intro.

 Ingredients:

1 block firm ORGANIC tofu – pressed

(my press cheat is to place the block between two plates, wrapped in paper towel with a heavy bowl on top for about 20 minutes)

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

3/4 cup oats

1 cup diced fresh cilantro

1 diced/sliced tomato

3 large cloves garlic

1/4 cup sliced cucumber

4 Ciabatta buns – gluten free option is brown rice wraps which work really well, you’re welcome celiac friends.

2 tbsp tamari

1/2 tbsp Liquid smoke

1.5 tbsp vegan/vegetarian Worcestershire

1 large yellow onion

1/2 & a bit cups bread crumbs

2 seeded jalapenos

1/2 tbsp Ginger

1/2 tbsp Paprika

1 tbsp Cumin

1/2 tbsp Corriander

1/4 tbsp Cayenne

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 tbsp sesame oil

 

Method:

Get your tofu pressing if you haven’t already, this needs doing first. Next get on creating the Pickled Carrot/Daikon and Aioli before you start on the rest of the recipe.

Did you get pickling and aioli’d? If not, get back to those recipes, if yes, good. Let’s start.

Place all ingredients other than tomato, cilantro, cucumber and jalapeno’s in food processor. Blend until the mixture can be shaped into patties. Shape yourself some lovely little patties and hold on to your hats because your mouth is going to be revved up with food passion like you’ve never seen before.

 

A greater tofu patty was never created.

 

Preheat a cast iron pan for 10 minutes to medium heat setting. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil and coat pan evenly. Fry up sliced onion and garlic for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Place patties in pan and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, careful not to allow for too much burning to occur on the outer edges. Add remainder of sesame oil if your pan dries up.

 

NOW you’re going to spread your bread or wraps with that lovely aioli you made then stack on your patties, toppings and FINALLY your pickled carrot delight. You’re going to top this off with some salt and pepper and enjoy, thoroughly. I opted to cut mine in half because it was a little breakable.

This recipe serves 4 or 8 snack-sized 1/2 sammies. It’s a big one so don’t bother with any sides.

 

Pickled carrot and daikon

 

Pickled radish & carrot

This recipe is a good one for keeping some of this yummy deliciousness around all year. The end product should store well for a year or so in a closed mason jar in your fridge. You can use this for soups, salads and dressings to zip it up a notch.

I have used this in my Bahn Mi recipe as well as hot and sour soup and asian salads.

Ingredients:

5 carrots

1 large daikon

1.5 cups white vinegar

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 cup warm water

Method:

Julienne or grate carrot and daikon into bowl. Mix in all wet ingredients and let stand at least one hour before use.

Sriracha aioli

 

Easy aioli

 

Need a quick pick me up for a sandwich, cracker or some type of finger food? Look no further. This little ditty is a great go-to back pocket kitchen friend. You won’t forget the recipe because it’s just too darn easy. I use this in my Bahn Mi sandwich and it’s just the cats patoot. Icing on a beauty Thai cake. Try the recipe out if you want to have your socks knocked off.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup veganaise

1.5 tbsp sriracha sauce

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

2 cloves garlic diced or pressed

Method:

Mix it all together and let it sit for an hour or so. Reduce the sriracha if you’re not a fan of too much spice.

 

Breakfast Sammy – 5 minutes

 

 

If you only have 5 minutes. you STILL have enough time to have something scrumptious and colourful and delish. When you’ve always got great ingredients around, your creativity in the kitchen will start to flourish.

Ingredients: 

Vegan or regular croissant

3 Field roast Italian or apple sausages diced

1/2 cup arugula

1/2 cup spinach

1/2 cucumber sliced

1 medium tomato sliced

German grainy mustard sweet & hot

Method: 

Pan fry diced sausages.

In meantime cut croissant and later on goodness.

Add sausages, smoosh together and serve halved.

 

Yamburgers

Let me start off by stating this: I hate most veggie/vegetarian burgers. There, I said it.

Now, the reason why I tackled this one is because I was a) out of a lot of ingredients and b) had a day off to create. I think these turned out pretty darn well considering it was an old mother hubbard kind of day in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas

1 large yam roasted

1 yellow onion

Pinch tri-coloured peppercorns

1/4 tsp hawaiian salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp celery seed (ground)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh parsley

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp grape seed oil

Method:

Process all ingredients in food processor. Pile onto plate and refridgerate for 3-5 hours (I like to let the flavours settle in this way as well as making it easier to work with to form).

Using scoop or large spoon form into lumps and then patties.

Heat skillet on stovetop at medium-low heat. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes each side or until crispy.

Here I have served these on a bed of mesclun greens with my homemade sundried tomato oil i& apple cider vinegar infusion as a dressing as well as my Cauliflower Buffalo Wings as a tasty side/appy.

Creamy Vegan Cashew Dressing

 

Sauces make the greatest accompaniment for salads, sandwiches, toppings, marinades, dips and drizzles. Once you have a good couple of ingredients you know how to work with (how to correct, increase and decrease a basic flavouring) you’re ready to get cracking on some adventurous numbers.

This recipe, is a great starter sauce you can build from this with spices and other interesting oils and flavours once you are comfortable.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp (or more) water – to thin out

1/3 cup cashews

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp miso

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp himalayan salt

cracked black pepper to taste

 

Method: 

 

Mix all ingredients with a hand blender until you reach your desired consistency. Add water as needed to thin out dressing.

Will keep refrigerated for 5 days.

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash soup & Asiago Sammy

This recipe is something I made up on the fly with whatever ingredients I had in the pantry. This is a fast food night for me and my family. It’s not easy at first, to be creative and daring in the kitchen, but after time it’s just so simple to start making things up in your head. 

I’ll admit, I had to stop off for bread because we don’t usually have it in this house….wasn’t the greatest quality, but in a pinch I am not going full ORGANIC MADNESS in a Hamlet of 500….no labels, no judgement, just doing my best. 

I was inspired by Vietnamese subs for this one. To ensure 100 % vegan skip the cheese OR add vegan cheese. 

Sandwich Ingredients: 

1 baguette or gluten free bread/baguette/toast

1 cup Asiago cheese shredded or sliced thinly

1 medium carrot grated thinly

1 avocado sliced

1 handful fresh spinach

1 handful fresh baby kale

1 large tomato sliced into thin wheels

2 tbsp earth balance buttery spread

2-4 cloves garlic diced thinly OR pressed

Freshly ground Himalayan sea salt

Soup Ingredients: 

1 medium butternut squash

1 large striped beet

2 medium yellow onions

5 cloves garlic

4 cups homemade veggie broth

1.5 tsp oak smoked sea salt

1/2 tsp dried chilis (more if you like it hot_

1 tsp dried & rehydrated basil (lighthouse)

Fresh ground black pepper

Method: 

Soup

Slice squash in half & remove all seeds with a spoon. Cube/chop all remaining veggies. Add light amount of oil to cookie sheet. Place squash face-down on sheet. Roast all veggies at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. You may choose to roast the garlic and onion separately to avoid burning…you can also opt to sweat them out on your stove top. 

Once you can easily pierce squash and other veggies with a fork remove from oven and let cool for 5 mins. Remove squash from skin and chop into manageable pieces. 

Add all remaining ingredients to your Vitamix, Blendtec or any high-powered blender and mix until smooth. Add more veggie broth if soup is too thick. 

Sammy

Leave oven set to 400. Remove all veggies. Take baguette and slice in half, then cut lengthwise. Spread buttery spread on both sides of baguette. Spread garlic on baguette. 

Sprinkle one side with cheese. 

Place in oven open-faced for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and baguette *just* begins to brown. 

Remove from oven & dress with all other veggies. Top with fresh full spectrum salt. 

Serves 2!